The Power Of The Quill
by The PinkCorsair
Summary: The war between Purebloods and Muggleborns is looming. Pureblood birth rates are at a all time low. A new Marriage Law might save the Wizarding World or plung it into war. Warning. HBP spoiler after ch20.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer. J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

**The Power of the Quill. **

Chapter 01 Match Maker.

It was only Wednesday of her first week back at school, but it was already the worst week at Hogwarts Hermione Granger had ever had. It began on Monday morning when the 'Daily Prophet' announced that the Ministry of Magic had passed the new Marriage Law to address the problems in the St. Mungo's report regarding the rising number of stillborns and squib births among Pureblood families. The report stated that in less than two generation it was likely that eighty present of the Pureblood families would die out unless preventive measures were taken.

Of coarse, the Ministry's heavy-handed reaction was to pass a marriage law forcing Purebloods to marry Muggle-borns and Half-bloods. The Ministry itself would choose who would marry whom. They planned to use a magical blood test to find the best matches possible. The persons involved had no say in who would be chosen to be their mate. Only the best and brightest of the Wizarding World would be selected for the new program. There were to be twenty marriages per year arranged over the course of the next twenty years. By that time, the mixed-blood population should be at least fifty percent of the population. According to the new law, anyone selected that refused to comply would be stripped of their wand and banished from the Wizarding community.

Hermione had no doubts about being selected. Her O.W.L.'s were among the highest scores in the last twenty years. The Ministry had also sent her a notice on Monday that they now considered her to have reached the age of eligibility, sixteen, due to her use of a Time Turner in her third year.

She owled her parents that evening informing them that she might be forced to marry against her will. Her father returned her owl on Tuesday morning, letting her know he was already looking into Wizarding schools in America and Japan. European schools were out of the question since the Ministry had an Extradition Treaty with the European Wizards Council. Hermione wanted, more than anything, to be able to finish her last two years at Hogwarts. But, if she had to choose between being forced to marry a stranger and bare his children, and leaving England, then leaving was what she would do.

The person Hermione most felt sorry for was Harry. Being a Half-blood and the hero of the Wizarding World guaranteed he would be selected. Unlike her, he couldn't just run away from the new law. He had to stay and help the Order in its fight against Voldemort. He would just have to stay and marry whomever the Ministry picked for him.

The one thing Hermione would truly miss more than Hogwarts were her friends. She couldn't picture the magical world without Harry, Ron and Ginny in it. The one thing she wouldn't miss, would be Draco Malfoy and his pack of Slytherin trolls. Especially Pansy Parkinson, who had decided to make Hermione's life a living hell this year. Parkinson had shown up at King's Cross Station with a whole new face this year. Gone was her trademark up-turned nose that gave her a pug-like look. Her nose wasn't the only thing that had changed about her. She was now a lot more top-heavy than she used to be. Pansy said she had a growth spurt over the summer, but nobody goes from completely flat to a C-cup in just three months. Hermione felt sorry for the poor wizard that fell for Pansy's looks without knowing the horrible shrew that lay just beneath the skin.

Hermione notice that most of the sixth year Pureblood girls had returned looking a lot better after this summer than they had before. It was Parvati Patil who informed her that most of the Pureblood families started to negotiate engagement contracts for their daughters as soon as they turned sixteen.

"The prettier the girl, the better the husband," Parvati said.

Of course, Parvati and her twin sister Padma still looked the same as they had three months earlier. There was no need to improve upon perfection. The sisters had received the nickname 'Twin Goddesses' at Hogwarts evenbefore their fifth year.

As soon as the Marriage Law was announced, the Slytherins took every opportunity to throw the new law in Hermione's face. It was on Tuesday afternoon, before Care of Magical Creatures, that Hermione had finally had enough. Pansy was complaining loudly about how awful it was to be forced to marry a Mudblood. She said she would drown any Half-blood baby before it could ruin her family's good name.

Hermione stepped in front of the Slytherin 'Heather Locklear look-alike' and said, "Your family would need a good name to ruin first, wouldn't they Parkinson?"

Parkinson narrowed her eyes at the Gryffindor and said, "Better watch your mouth, Mudblood, if you want to stay in one piece."

Hermione tightened her grip on her wand. "And just what is at tarted up little tramp like you going to do if I don't?" she said heatedly.

Just then, Draco stepped between the girls. "Now, now – there's no need to fight. This law is for the betterment of all Wizarding kind," he said sarcastically.He thenleaned closer to her and said, "Don't worry, Mudblood, I personally sent a request for you to the Ministry. I wrote mother just today, telling her to have the house-elves clean out one of the rooms above the stables for you."

Hermione was just about to hex Draco when Ron yelled from behind her, "Piss off, Malfoy!"

Hermione turned to see Harry and Ron standing behind her with their wands at the ready. Crabbe and Goyle quickly moved forward to backup Malfoy.

Pansy laid her hand on Malfoy's arm. "You shouldn't soil yourself with the like of her, Draco. Didn't you read what 'The Daily Prophet' had to say about her? She'll spread her legs for any wizard that has a little fame or a couple of gold coins in their robes."

Angrily Hermione spat, "That 'Daily Prophet' article was full of lies. Everything it was as fake as your boobs, Parkinson."

"YOU FILTHY MUDBLOOD!" Pansy shrieked as she raised her wand.

With all her D.A. training, Hermione was easily able to duck the oncoming curse. Unfortunately, the hex sailed straight over her head, striking Ron in the face. He never even saw it coming.

Wasting no time, Hermione aimed her wand at Pansy's chest and said, "_Liqueremotus." _A blue light shot from the tip of her wand to Pansy's chest.

Pansy looked down, but nothing seemed to be happening to her. With a gloating smile on her face, she raised her arm to throw another hex at Hermione. But as soon as her arm was lifted, the right half of her robe fell from her body. Seconds later the left half fell as well. Then her grey jumper started to unravel like a ball of yarn. Her green plaid skirt fell in pieces to the ground, exposing Pansy's bright pink knickers to the whole world. Pansy let out a high-pitched scream as she turned and ran as fast as she could for the safety of the castle. She didn't even make it halfway before there was nothing left to cover her. The entire Care of Magical Creatures class was laughing hysterically at her, both Gryffindor and Slytherin alike.

When Hermione turned to check on Ron, she was surprised to see that his entire face, neck, and hands were covered with long, bright red hair. He looked like the Wolfman from one of those old horror movies. Ron didn't seem to be too bothered by the extra hair. He didn't even go to see Madam Pomfrey until after class was over. When he returned to the Gryffindor Common Room later that evening, he was sporting a nicely trimmed goatee. This was something he had been trying to grow since the beginning of his fifth year.

Hermione found Professor McGonagall waiting for her in the Common Room. Apparently Pansy had run straight to her Head of House, Professor Snape, and told him her very on-sided account of the day's events. Hermione ended up with a detention, the loss of twenty points, and a bill sent to her parents for a new set of school robes.

Now Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall on Wednesday morning, just poking at her breakfast. The previous evening Dumbledore had announced that a Ministry official would be coming to Hogwarts this morning to make announcements dealing with the new Marriage Law. Hermione was feeling far too nervous to eat; the thought that she might have to leave Hogwarts much earlier than she had planned had ruined her appetite.

Hermione looked around at the rest of the student in the Great Hall. It was clear that most of the sixth and seventh year student were just as upset as she was. The only ones not upset by the pending arrival of the Ministry official, were the Slytherins. With all their families' power and influence in the Ministry, everyone just knew none of them would be on the list. As Hermione scanned the Slytherin table, she became aware of Draco staring back at her. A cold shiver ran down her back at the look in the young, blond man's ghost-gray eyes. She assumed that his boast about sending a request for her to the Ministry was just said to get on her nerves. Part of her wouldn't mind if the Ministry paired her with Malfoy; it would make leaving Hogwarts just that much easier.

The entire Hall became instantly silent as a small wizard in a white robe entered and headed for the staff table.

After briefly speaking with the wizard, Dumbledore rose to make an announcement. "May I have your attention, please?" asked the Headmaster. "As most of you are aware, the Ministry of Magic has enacted a new Marriage Law that will effect some of you here today. Thomas Fitage, the Undersecretary of Wizard Health and Well-being, is here today to inform us just how, and whom, the law will effect."

Hermione watched the small wizard that held her future in his hands. Fitage was barely five-foot-five, and had a very thin, pointy-head. He also had an incredibly small mouth and wore large thick-framed spectacles. Hermione thought he reminded her of a goldfish she once had when she was eight.

"Good morning, Hogwarts," Fitage said in a squeaky, but mechanical-sounding voice. "Due to concerns about the wizard birthrate among older Pureblood families, the Ministry of Magic has passed the Blood-Strength Marital Law. This law will affect all wizards between the ages of sixteen and forty-five and all witches between the ages of sixteen and forty. Under this new law, the Ministry will choose twenty Purebloods and twenty Half-bloods or Muggle-borns to wed each year for the next two decades."

Fitage pulled a Muggle-style clipboard from beneath his robes with several unrolled parchment scrolls clipped to it. "Only witches and wizards with above-average magical abilities and intelligence will be selected for this new program. No more than one witch or wizard from any Pureblood family shall be selected. Pairings will be based on matches that have the greatest chance of producing highly talented magical offspring. A witch's or wizard's wealth or standing in the Wizarding community will have no bearing on whether they are selected or not."

"Yeah right," Seamus Finnigan said under his breath, but still loud enough for most of the Hall to hear and snicker at.

After the brief interruption, Fitage continued. "Exempt from this program are Pureblood wizards or witches that have had a mixed marriage in their family less than two generations ago. Also exempt are witches and wizards with non-human mixed blood, such as Veelas, Giants, Werewolves, and Vampires. All foreign nationals are exempt, as well.

There was a sigh of relief from some of the students in the Great Hall. Hermione looked over at the Ravenclaw table where the new Head Girl, Cho Chang, was sitting. The Head Girl looked very relieved at the news. It was hard for Hermione to feel happy for Cho. Her exemption only increased the chances that Hermione would be selected.

"Each of these unions will be considered a legal Wizarding marriage by law. The only difference being that these marriages may be dissolved after the birth of a proven magical child. Any marriage resulting in the birth of a squib will be instantly dissolved and the participants will be paired with new partners. No form of birth control, Wizard or Muggle, is permitted before the birth of the first child. If caught using a contraceptive, both participants could face up to two years in Azkaban prison. Any couple caught trying to abort a pregnancy will face a minimum of ten years in Azkaban. Because of the large number of Pureblood families that are incapable of producing magical offspring, any couple wishing to dissolve their marriage can give up their child for immediate adoption."

Hermione could feel her hands begin to sweat as Fitage folded a couple of scrolls over the top of his clipboard. Seeing her nervousness, Ron reached his hand under the table and took hold of hers. She held her friend's hand tightly, as if it were the only thing holding her to this world.

Clearing his throat, Fitage began to speak again. "I am here today because six of these new marriages involve students here at Hogwarts. You will receive an official marriage contract from the Ministry of Marriage by owl before the end of the day. These contracts will include a full biography of your intended spouse. Upon receiving this contract, you will have thirty days to get to know your intended. By the end of this time, you must be married and the marriage consummated. Headmaster Dumbledore has informed me that no student will be forced to leave Hogwarts because of his or her new marital status or pregnancy."

You could hear a pin drop in the Great hall as Fitage folded back the next parchment on the clipboard. "Under the Ministry Law 246-bs416, Miss Hannah Abbot, being half Muggle descent, is herby betrothed to Donald Fitzwater, Pureblood, representing the Fitzwater bloodline."

There was a collective gasp in the Hall after Fitage read the first marriage announcement. Hermione quickly swiveled in her seat, looking over at the Hufflepuff table to look at her fellow prefect. Hannah was openly sobbing with her face buried in her hands. Her fellow Hufflepuffs quickly gathered around to comfort the stricken girl. Hermione barely knew Fitzwater. He was in Ravenclaw and had graduated three years ago. The sound of snickers and giggling made Hermione turn around. The entire Slytherin table seemed to be enjoying this to no end.

Mr. Fitage cleared his throat at full volume to regain the Hall's attention. "Under Ministry Law 246-bs416, Miss Marietta Ann Edgecombe, being of half Muggle descent, is…"

"NO!" Marietta screamed up at the small wizard from the Ravenclaw table. Marietta started to shake uncontrollably in her seat. Cho Change quickly embraced her friend as tears started to run down both girls' cheeks.

Annoyed at being interrupted again, Fitage lowered his clipboard and stared impatiently at the Ravenclaw table. As soon as the loud sobbing died down, he spoke again. "The Ministry fully realizes the burden this new law will place upon you all. I can assure you that these new measures are completely necessary to insure the future of our Wizarding World. This need not be a life sentence for any of you. If you are diligent in following the Ministry's guidelines, you should be free to pursue your own live in no more than ten to twelve months."

Fitage raised his clipboard and continued with announcements. "Under Ministry Law 246-bs416, Miss Marietta Ann Edgecombe, being of half Muggle descent, is hereby betrothed to Marcus Theodore Flint, Pureblood, representing the Flint bloodline."

More gasps filled the hall after Fitage's announcement. Most of them were now coming from the Slytherins, who were in complete shock that one of their own had been selected. Marcus had signed with the Tutshill Tornados earlier that summer to be their new rookie Beater. His family was supposed to be very influential, yet they apparently were unable to save Marcus from being selected. Hermione watched with some enjoyment as a nervous fear took hold of all the sixth and seventh year Slytherins.

"Under Ministry Law 246-bs416, Claudia Rachel Turnnage, being of half Muggle descent, is hereby betrothed to Blaise Zabini, Pureblood, representing the Zabini bloodline."

Blaise just sat in shock after hearing his name announced, apparently unable to speak. Claudia was a close friend of Hermione's. They were both bookworms and had spent a lot of time together in the library. Claudia had graduated the previous summer from Ravenclaw and was now working at Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley. Hermione tried to put together in her head how the Ministry was making these matches. There were three marriages with three Ravenclaws in them. No Muggle-borns or Gryffindors had been selected, yet. Hermione considered the virtues of the people chosen so far. She thought she saw a pattern beginning to form. 'Intelligent witches paired with athletic wizards,' Hermione thought to herself. The next announcement would not only confirm Hermione's suspicions, but also shock Hogwarts to its core.

"Under Ministry Law 246-bs416, Pansy Daniela Parkinson, being of Muggle birth, is hereby betrothed to Ronald Weasley, Pureblood, representing the Weasley bloodline."

Mass confusion broke out in the Great Hall as people tried to make sense of the announcement. Hermione felt a sharp pain in her left hand. Ron was squeezing her hand so hard that her fingers were starting to turn blue.

"Ron," she said, but he didn't seem to hear her. He just stared off into space as if in some kind of a trance. "RON, YOU'RE HURTING ME!" she shouted, as she began to lose the feeling in her hand.

Ron released her hand as he snapped back to reality. "Sorry 'Mione," he said in an apologetic voice.

"Ron, it's a mistake," Harry said, trying to reassure his friend. "Parkinson's not a Muggle-born. Everyone knows that. They can't force two Purebloods to get married, now can they?"

"Harry's right, Ron. The Parkinson family is almost as old as the Malfoys. They're as Pureblood as they come," Hermione said reassuringly.

Pansy Parkinson rose from her seat with a very irritated look on her face. She looked as if she had just been the victim of one of Fred and George's practical jokes. "Mr. Fitage, I am NOT a Mudblood," she rudely shouted at the small wizard. "Both my parents are Purebloods. The Parkinsons have always been Purebloods."

Overlooking her rudeness, the little wizard flipped through the folded parchments on his clipboard. "Ah, I see where your confusion lies, Miss Parkinson. You were adopted."

You could feel the air being sucked out of the Great Hall as the entire student body's mouths flew open. Pansy stood perfectly still with a look of absolutehorror on her face, as if she had just been petrified by a Basilisk.

"Yes, yes. It's all right here, "Fitage said, as he read through one of the parchments. "You were born on August 23, 1980 at St. Aretha's Women's Correctional Facility to Mary Kathleen Taylor, who was serving a sixteen-month sentence for multiple counts of Prostitution, Pandering, and Petty Larceny. Mary Taylor died at age nineteen of an apparent drug overdose, resulting in your premature birth at seven and a half months. At six months of age, the Ministry discovered your magical abilities and removed you from the Yorktown public orphanage, placing you with your current wizard family. So, being of…"

A loud crash interrupted Fitage. Pansy had fainted dead away, landing headfirst in her breakfast plate. Her face was buried in a large bowl of porridgewith air bubbles coming up from her mouth.

"Next chapter coming in three days. This story is being reloaded after be removed for sexual content. I want to thank the seventeen hundred plus reveiewer that had made this story so popular. Thank you, Pink."


	2. Toys Of The Gods

Disclaimer. J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

**The Power of the Quill**.

Chapter 02 Toys of the Gods.

Hermione, along with the rest of Hogwarts, continued to stare at the blonde girl slowly drowning in a large bowl of oatmeal porridge. None of the Slytherins were moving to help her; they had all backed at least five feet away from her. It was as if Pansy had just caught a horribly contagious disease and anyone getting too close was in danger of infection. Hermione turned to Ron; he was stillstaring intently at his future bride. Most likely hoping that the bubbles in the porridge would stop, thereby releasing him from his fate.

It was finally Professor Snape who broke the silence that had filled the Great Hall. "Mr. Goyle, will you please remove Miss Parkinson from her breakfast plate before she expires?"

Goyle grabbed Pansy by the collar, pulling her out of the bowl and letting her fall backwards onto the Hall floor with a loud PLOP.

"You will take Miss Parkinson to the infirmary immediately, Goyle," Snape said harshly to the young Slytherin.

Looking annoyed, Goyle grabbed hold of Pansy and tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, then headed out of the Great Hall.

Fitage cleared his throat once again to regain the crowd's attention. "Under Ministry Law 246-bs416, Harry James Potter, being of half Muggle descent, is hereby betrothed to Narcissa Black, Pureblood, representing the Noble Black bloodline."

"WHAT!" Harry yelled, jumping to his feet.

"BLOODY HELL!" Draco cried, shooting from his seat.

"THIS IS MADNESS, SHE'S MARRIED!" Harry shouted.

"HE'S RIGHT, MY MUM'S ALREADY MARRIED. TO MY DAD, YOU BLOODY TWIT!" Draco barked.

Draco turned to Harry. "I know you had something to do with this, Potter," Draco said accusingly.

"Are you insane, Malfoy? What makes you think I want to marry that hag you call a mother?"

"YOU FUCKING HALFBLOOD!" Draco screamed, as he jumped up on to the Slytherin table, brandishing his wand.

"DO IT AND YOU'RE DEAD, MALFOY!" Harry shouted back.

"_Expelliarmus!_" Draco bellowed.

Harry quickly dodged to the side, avoiding the hex. Instead of reaching for his wand, Harry grabbed the nearest thing to him, a cantaloupe half. He fast-balled the half-melon, striking Malfoy right in the puss. The force of the melon sent Draco flying off the table in a backward somersault.

Harry and Draco may have fired the first shots, but it was Millicent Bulstrode who started the war. Millicent scooped up a large handful of Eggs Benedict and hurled it at the Gryffindor table, striking Lavender Brown in the chest. The entire Gryffindor table responded to this unprovoked attack by firing everything on their plate back at the Slytherins. The Slytherins quickly retaliated with an assault of their own. Hermione let out a scream as a bowl of porridge, looking remarkably like the one Pansy and nearly suffocated in, whizzed past her head and crashed into the far wall. Putting a quick repelling charm on herself, Hermione sprinted away from the table to the relative safety of the side of the Hall.

Hermione turned to watch Harry continue chucking half-melons at the Slytherin table. Ron stood just to his right, firing oranges at any Slytherin fool enough to stand still for more than a second. Every time Harry grabbed a melon, a new one would magically appear to take its place. Unfortunately, the fight broke out while breakfast was still being served. All the serving trays were charmed to refill as soon as they emptied. Both houses had fifty yards of unlimited ammo to throw at each other. Hermione worried that the House-Elves in the kitchen would die of exhaustion if this continued much longer. She settled in between two suits of armor and watched the carnage unfold.

Hundreds of miles away, in their small Diagon Alley joke shop, the hair on the back of Fred and George Weasley's necks stood on end. Fred turned to his twin brother and asked, "Hey George, doesn't it feel like we're missing something?"

"Yeah, it sure does, Mate," George answered. Both boys shrugged their shoulder and went back to work.

Back in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, Hermione continued to watch the epic battle. Both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had joined the fight against Slytherin. Even at three against one odds, the Slytherins were able to hold their own. They had placed their chairs sideways on top of their table and were using them for cover. Hermione witnessed some interesting human behavior as she watched the silliness around her. Most of the boys tended to throw the harder objects, like fruits, rolls, and muffins. The girls, on the other hand, went for the softer stuff, such as scrambled eggs, oatmeal, cereals, and jams. These didn't cause much pain, but were messier and you were almost guaranteed to hit somebody.

Hermione noticed that the Great Hall was beginning to darken as the large windows became encrusted with flying food. She looked up at the Staff table to see if anyone was preparing to put a stop to this childishness. They all seemed content to sit back behind their own shielding charms and just watch. Maybe they figured this release of tension was reasonable under the current circumstances.

It was Nearly Headless Nick who was the first to try bringing peace back to the Great Hall. As he floated in between the tables, trying to restore order, his head kept popping off as food passed through it at incredible speeds. Soon, the multiple projectiles caused his body to distort and stretch. After half-a-minute, his unrecognizable body just hung limp in midair, like a rag doll on a string. It was the Bloody Baron who soared down from the ceiling to rescue him. He quickly grabbed hold of Nick and spirited them both away to safety.

Soon students were throwing hexes as well as food. The Great Hall was rapidly becoming a dangerous place to be.

"ENOUGH!" a voice roared, as a brilliant flash of light erupted from the far side of the Hall.

Everyone instantly stopped what he or she was doing and looked up at the Staff table. Dumbledore was standing there with his robes billowing around him, as if he were in a strong wind. But the air in the Great Hall was perfectly still. With just one wave of his hand, all the food and mess disappeared. Everyone was as clean as when they first entered the Hall.

"Children, please calm yourselves and take your seats. Mr. Fitage needs to continue with his announcements," Dumbledore ordered.

Hermione rushed back to take her seat. Soon, only Draco and Harry remained standing. Fitage poked his head out from behind Dumbledore to make sure it was safe to continue. He them boldly stepped forward with his clipboard in hand.

"Just how did you group of Ministry tossers figure that this scar-headed piece of dung could marry my mum?" Draco angrily asked.

Ignoring the insult, Fitage began to flip through his parchments once again. Hermione didn't think there was anything on that clipboard that could explain this one. Of course, she had thought the same thing just minutes ago with Ron and Pansy's announcement.

"Ah, here we are," Fitage said. "On July 14 of this year, Lucius Randolph Malfoy was found guilty of conspiracy against the Ministry and association with Dark forces. The Ministry investigators concluded that Malfoy's crimes predated his marriage to Miss Black on June 22, 1978. On September 2 of this year, Ministry officials decided to annul the Malfoy marriage, returning Miss Black to her former single status."

"Are you saying that my mother is no longer part of my family?" Draco asked.

"Yes," Fitage answered simply.

"What about me, am I still a Malfoy?" Draco asked nervously.

"Yes, you are. Since your father has been disavowed and sentenced to life in Azkaban by the Ministry, and your mother is no longer part of the Malfoy family, you are now the sole heir to the Malfoy Estate. Normally, you would need to be of age to inherit but, under the current circumstances, the Ministry has decided to waive the age restriction and allow you control over your properties and finances at this time."

Draco slowly sank into his seat, apparently weighing the loss of his mother against becoming one of the richest wizards in the world. Hermione didn't think he looked anywhere near as upset as he did only a moment ago.

"This still doesn't make any sense," Harry said, still standing. "She already had a magical child. He's sitting right there." Harry pointed to Draco.

"Draco Malfoy represents the Malfoy bloodline not the Black's. Since you're a Half-blood, your children will fall under the Black's Pureblood's line. There are only four remaining Noble Bloodlines left, Mr. Potter. Only two of these lines are capable of producing an heir. Miss Black being one of them. The Ministry is not about to let these bloodlines perish."

"What about Nymphadora Tonks? She's a Black. Why can't I marry her?" Harry asked.

Fitage looked upset by the question. "Miss Tonks is a Half-blood same as yourself, Mister Potter. The Ministry isn't about to waste two Half-bloods on each other."

"There has to be someone else. Anybody but her," Harry pleaded.

"Mr. Potter, I'm becoming quite irritated with your response to this matter. You should consider yourself fortunate that the Ministry paired you with a noble bloodline. I cannot understand your reservation. I have been told Miss Black is a very striking woman. At only thirty-six years of age, Miss Black has plenty of time left to produce and raise a proper heir to her bloodline. It's quite normal for witches to have children well into their sixties now, Mr. Potter."

"THIS IS BLOODY RIDICULOUS!" Harry shouted. He then snatched up his book bag and headed out of the Hall. As he passed her, Hermione grabbed him by his robes.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Anywhere but here," Harry answered coldly.

"But Harry, there is still one more announcement."

"SO?" Harry snapped back.

"Harry, please," Hermione pleaded.

"Fine," Harry said remorsefully, then walked back and took his seat.

Hermione looked up at the staff table. Both Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were giving Harry sympathetic looks. Professor Snape, on the other hand, had a huge evil smirk on his face. He was taking great pleasure in the fact that Harry and Ron's lives had just been ruined. He looked like a kid who had just received all his Christmas presents one month early. 'I wish someone would wipe that filthy smirk off his face,' Hermione thought to herself. Unfortunately she had forgotten the old adage: _Be careful what you wish for, it might come true._

"Under Ministry Law 246-bs416, Hermione Ann Granger, being of Muggle birth, is hereby betrothed to Severus Titus Snape, Pureblood, representing the Noble Snape bloodline."

"BLOODY FUCKING HELL!"

Hermione couldn't believe someone would shout such a vulgar thing in front of Dumbledore and the rest of the Hogwarts' staff. She found it even harder to believe that _she_ was the one who had said it. 'I've got to stop watching so much American cable at home,' she thought.

No one in the Great Hall had even noticed her swear. All eyes were glued on their Potions Professor, who had shot to his feet with such force that his chair had crashed into the far wall. Snape took two quick, threatening steps toward the little wizard before stopping. Fitage had quickly ducked behind Dumbledore for protection. Hermione was thirty yards away, but could easily see the veins on Snape's forehead begin to bulge out. His fists were clenched tightly as his sides. His complexion was slowing changing from its normal pale white color to a light shade of purple. He seemed to be fighting the urge to commit a public murder in front of six hundred witnesses.

Suddenly, Snape shot forward toward the small wizard. Dumbledorestepped forward,placing his hand on Snape's chest, stopping him. Fitage quickly scurried to the far end of the staff table to hide behind Hagrid.

"Severus, calm yourself," Dumbledore said to his irate friend.

Snape stared menacingly at the official hiding behind the half-giant. "DRAGON SHITE!" Snape suddenly bellowed, then turned on his heels and stormed out of the Great Hall with his robes billowing behind him.

Dumbledore turned to face the students. "All students involved in these announcements are excused from their first class of the day. You are to report to Professor McGonagall in the old Muggles Studies classroom on the second floor, east wing. For the rest of you, I believe classes are about to begin."

Ten minutes later, the three Gryffindors had made their way to the classroom located on the other side of the castle. Of the three, Hermione seemed the least upset. She had been preparing herself for the bad news since Monday morning. It really didn't matter that Snape was chosen to be her mate. She wasn't about to be forced intoa marriage against her will, no matter whom the Ministry selected. Hermione spent the long walk from the Great Hall considering which new Wizarding school she would attend. There was Salem's Wizardry School of Magic in California, just outside of San Francisco. It had been moved there from Massachusetts back in the early forties. There was also the Yamato Sorcery College in Okushiri, Japan. Hermione would owl her dad tonight and see if he could send her brochures on both schools.

When they entered the room they saw Professor McGonagall arguing with Fitage.

"It should have been done in private. There was no need to embarrass these children like that," McGonagall said harshly to the official.

"Professor McGonagall, was it not your own Headmaster who accused the Ministry of bias? These open announcements should demonstrate to everyone that the Ministry hasn't shown any favoritism in choosing these couples."

As soon as she became aware that they were no longer alone, McGonagall turned her attention away from Fitage. "Please take a seat childr…people," she corrected.

Hermione, Harry and Ron sat together in the first row of the classroom. "Professor McGonagall, why are we here?" Harry asked.

"Please hold your questions until everyone is here, Mr. Potter," she answered.

Hannah Abbott came in by herself, as did Blaise Zabini. Each took seats in the first row, on the opposite side of the three Gryffindors. Finally, Marietta showed up, but not alone. Cho Chang was at her side. The two girls took seats next to Hannah.

"Miss Chang, why are you here?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"As Head Girl it is my duty to know everything I can about actions involving students here at Hogwarts. Besides, Marietta is my best friend, and I have this period free," Cho answered.

"I'm sorry, Miss Chang, but we will be discussing very private matters here. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave," McGonagall said.

"Please let her stay. I don't think I can bare to go through this alone," Marietta begged.

McGonagall stared at the two Ravenclaws fora moment before saying, "Very well, she can stay. It's not likely that anything said here will remain a secret past lunch anyway."

Just then, Draco Malfoy entered the room. Before he could take a seat, Professor McGonagall asked, "Now, why are you here, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Professor Dumbledore said that all students involved in these announcement should report here. And I was involved in one of the announcements."

"You were not directly involved, Mr. Malfoy. Please leave," McGonagall said curtly.

"Fine," Draco said, sounding annoyed. "But I have a question for Mr. Fitage."

"What may I help you with, Mr. Malfoy?" Fitage asked.

"Sir, why wasn't I selected? I am the last of my line. I sent a request to the Ministry on Monday to be paired with a Muggle-born," Draco said, then gave Hermione a quick glance. Hermione's skin began to crawl at the thought that Draco had actually petitioned the Ministry for her.

"I'm afraid you were deemed unacceptable for our program, Mr. Malfoy," Fitage said.

"What do you mean, unacceptable?" Draco angrily asked.

"While your test scores and magical abilities are well within the norms, Mr. Malfoy, they are below what your parents were at the same age. The Ministry has determined that there is still a thirty-five percent chance that your offspring would still be born a squib, even with a Muggle-born wife. Our recommendation to you, and other Purebloods in your situation, is to marry a full Muggle."

"Are you serious?" Draco asked.

"Quite serious, Mr. Malfoy," Fitage answered.

"You people obviously don't know what you're talking about," Draco said heatedly. "I didn't want that filthy Mudblood anyway," Draco rudelysaid as he turn andleft the room.

McGonagall shut the door with a wave of her wand.

"We are here to discuss arrangements that will need to be made so that you may continue your education here at Hogwarts. Some of you will have your spouses here with you. If so, you will receive your own private chambers in the east wing. Those who will have spouses living and working outside of Hogwarts may choose a private chamber for yourself, but your spouse will only be allowed to visit you on weekends."

"For those of you who wish to have your ceremony here at Hogwarts, Headmaster Dumbledore has offered his services as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and will perform the marriage ritual of your choosing. Starting next summer, Hogwarts will be opening a nursery. You may use it free of charge for as long as you are a student here. Madam Pomfrey will be offering free prenatal care and pediatrics for after childbirth."

Hermione observe that all three boys turned a little paler at hearing the words prenatal and childbirth.

McGonagall continued. "Of course, you don't have to make any of these decisions today. We understand that most of you will want to involve your families in any choices you make. When you are ready, just owl the Headmaster and we will help you with all the necessary arrangements. Are there any questions?" McGonagall asked.

"Yeah I have a question, Professor," Ron said sarcastically. "Who made these matches, the Dark Lord himself?"

Professor McGonagall gave the redhead a stern look before saying, "I don't know how these peculiar pairings were made, Mr. Weasley. For that will have to ask Mr. Fitage."

Hermione's hand quickly shot up. "I have a question for Mr. Fitage."

"Yes, Miss Granger?" Fitage asked.

"Did the Ministry give any consideration to marital compatibility when making these matches?"

"No, Miss Granger. Our mandate was to create the greatest chance of magical births among these couples. Marital bliss was not our concern."

"Marital bliss? I'll probably end up in Azkaban for murder long before any magical birth takes place," Ron said, only half jokingly. "I know. We can trade," Ron said seriously, as he turned to Hermione.

"WHAT?" Hermione said in surprise.

"Yeah, Hermione. I'll take you and Snape can have Parkinson." Ron said excitedly.

"Why do you get Hermione, Ron? I'm the one who really needs a trade," Harry asked.

"You can't, Harry. Remember, you need a Pureblood," Ron answered.

"Oh, yeah," Harry said, sounding a little defeated.

"So, what do you think, Hermione?" Ron asked.

"I'm not marrying you, Ron. I'm not marrying anyone."

"It was just a thought," Ron said, sounding abit hurt.

"I'll trade you for Professor Snape," Marietta said to Hermione.

"What? You like Snape?" Ron asked.

"No, but he's a lot better than the Neanderthal I'm engaged to now. At least with Snape I won't have to worry about having a bunch of Knuckle-Draggers for kids," Marietta said seriously.

"Hermione, take the trade," Hannah Abbot said. "I heard Flint just signed a huge contract with the Tornados, plus he's gotten a lot hunkier since he left school."

"No, I'm not going to marry Marcus Flint either," Hermione said flatly.

Marietta turned and began to whisper to Hannah and Cho.

"Hey Weasley, I'll trade you for Parkinson," Blaise Zabini said.

"What's wrong with Claudia?" Hermione asked, as she turned to face Blaise.

"She's a stick," he answered.

"She just happened to have had the second best grade-average at Hogwarts last year, behind myself," Hermione said, defending her friend.

"That's just great, Granger, but I need a girl with a few curves on her. I know Pansy's got them, thanks to your little curse yesterday," Blaise said.

"So, what you think, Weasley?" he asked.

"I don't know, Zabini. Just how flat is she?" Ron asked.

"RON!" Hermione said angrily. "You know perfectly well there's nothing wrong with the way Claudia looks."

Blaise leaned around Hermione to talk to Ron. "Listen, Weasley. When I told my parents I was replacing Montague as lead Chaser this year, they went out and bought me a brand new Firebolt Two. I haven't even ridden it yet. I'll trade you the stick plus my new broom for your Mudblood."

"DEAL!" Ron shouted, as he thrust his hand towards Blaise in agreement.

"RON!" Hermione cried.

"We decided to trade, too," both Hannah and Marietta said together.

"Great, all we need to do now is find a half-decent Pureblood for Harry," Ron said.

"ENOUGH!" Fitage shouted, but without Dumbledore's air of authority. The small wizard's irritation brought a thin smile to McGonagall's face. "There will be no trading. It took the Ministry a lot of time and hard work to make these pairings. Each one was scientifically selected to insure the birth of an above-average magical child. You will just have to live with whom the Ministry has chosen for you. Any questions?" Fitage asked.

"Bollocks," Ron said, slumping in his chair. Hermione wondered if Ron was more upset about still having to marry Pansy or about losing a new Firebolt Two.

"Mr. Fitage, I have another question," Hermione said, with her hand in the air again.

"What is it this time, Miss Granger?" he asked with a bothered look on his face.

"You said the matches were scientifically based. But I noticed that all the pairings were between intelligent witches and athletic wizards. Were these the only factors in your decisions?" she asked.

"No, Miss Granger, they weren't. We also used a blood test for greater compatibility. We did use the model of intelligent female paired with an athletic male as our base. This base pair has been shown to produce the most highly talented witches and wizards. If you want proof, just look two seats to your left."

Hermione looked over at Harry. "You mean Harry?" she asked.

"Yes, Miss Granger. The Potters were our base couple for this program. We're will be watching with great interest the development of Mr. Potter's children as they will give us perfect second-generation data," Fitage said.

"If that's true, then why was I matched with Professor Snape? He's no athlete," Hermione asked.

"You're quite right, Miss Granger. Professor Snape's intelligence far exceeds any athletic talent he has ever shown. That is why we had to reverse the process. We wanted an intelligent male/athletic female couple for comparison purposes. You were selected for your excellent hand-eye coordination. Your school records show that you could master complex wand movements at a very young age."

"Wait a minute, let me get this straight. You're saying that _he's _the brain and _I'm _the jock in this pairing?" Hermione asked.

"That's correct, Miss Granger. We feel that Professor Snape's superior intelligence will make up for any of your intellectual shortcomings," Fitage answered.

Hermione slowly rose from her seat, placing both her fists on the table in front of her. She leaned forward, staring the small wizard in the eye and screamed, "SREW YOU!"

She then slung her school bag over her shoulder and stormed out of the room.

Next chapter coming soon.

Please review and let me know what you think.


	3. The News

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

Beta'd by the beautiful Nakhash Makashefah.

**The Power of the Quill.**

Chapter 03 The News:

At five-thirty the three Gryffindors entered their Common Room after a long, hard day of dodging questions from their fellow students. Hermione and Ron fell into a loveseat, while Harry took the large chair opposite them. They had barely put a dent in the seat cushions when three brown owls flew in through a window, each dropping a large parchment scroll in their laps.

"It's got a Ministry seal on it, I guess these are the contracts Mr. Fish-head was telling us about," Ron said, throwing the parchment in his book bag. "I just don't get how they picked me. I didn't even give them a blood sample."

"None of us did Ron," Hermione said.

"That's right," Harry said. "They couldn't have scientifically matched us up if they didn't have a sample of our blood."

"Of course they had a sample of our blood, Harry," Hermione said.

"But how?" he asked.

"Our first year, remember? At your first physical, Madam Pomfrey took a sample of your blood."

"Yeah, but I thought Hogwarts kept its medical records sealed. How did the Ministry get hold of them?" Harry asked.

"You're forgetting who was in charge of Hogwarts last year," Hermione answered.

"Umbridge," Harry said as if it were a swearword.

"BINGO!"

"That ogre of a woman is like a never-ending curse!" Harry said bitterly.

"I still don't see why they picked me," Ron said.

"Of course they picked you, Ron. Your O. W. L.'s were just as good as Harry's. You're a prefect in a family known for turning out Head-boys, and you're the keeper for the Gryffindor Quidditch team." Hermione said.

"If I'm so good, then why did I end up with a sweat-hog like Parkinson?" he asked.

"Well, as thick as Pansy seems to be most of the time, her grades are actually pretty good, and she's a prefect too," Hermione said.

"Yeah, Ron, she beat out Hermione for top marks in Potions last year, the only class you didn't get top marks in, wasn't it Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Thanks for reminding me, Harry," she replied resentfully. "The only reason that cow had better grades than me was because that greasy bastard inflated them so that I wouldn't be tops in his class."

"Gods, Hermione, I can't believe they matched you up with Snape! I thought they'd at least put you with someone decent, like Oliver Wood or one of Ron's brothers," Harry said.

"No, Harry. Remember, she's a jock just like Wood and all us Weasley's. She needs some Poindexter nerd to push around and have her way with," Ron said jokingly.

"You're right, Ron. I hope old Snape likes being a bottom," Harry said, joining in on Ron's joke.

"Stuff it, you two. You know perfectly well that I have no intention of marrying that snarky old sod," she said sincerely.

"So, this means you really are leavening?" Harry said in a serious voice.

"I have to Harry. I can't stay and be forced into having someone's baby, like some brood mare."

"But Hogwarts won't be Hogwarts without you, Hermione," Harry said sadly.

"You can't leave, Hermione. Harry and I will flunk out of school for sure without your notes to copy off of," Ron said. "What if the greasy twit were to have an unfortunate accident? Nothing too lethal, mind you, just something to make him limp as a wet noodle for the rest of his life. Would you stay then?"

"I don't think so, Ron," she said with a smile.

"Are you sure, Hermione? I'm sure Fred and George could whip something up fairly quick. Besides, it might even cause him to stop being such a wanker all the time, and he'll live longer too," Ron said, with an evil grin on his face.

"No, Ron. We are not having your brothers castrate Professor Snape, as tempting as it may be. That little slug Fitage, on the other hand, feel free to let the twins have a go at him."

"I don't know, Hermione," Harry said. "Fitage kind of reminded me of a five and a half foot tall walking penis with glasses. An impotency potion might kill him or remove all the bones in his body."

Hermione let out a snort at Harry's comment. She knew Harry and Ron were trying to make light of this dark situation.

"You guys don't have to worry about me just because I got the worst deal of the lot," she said.

"I think I got the worst deal, Hermione," Harry said. "If I don't find a way out of this, by this time next year, there will a half ferret with messy black hair running around the castle."

Both Hermione and Ron laughed at the thought of a half-Potter-half-Malfoy baby.

"At least Ron got someone his own age, even if it is Parkinson," Harry said.

"Yeah, right," Ron said sarcastically. "I'll trade Pansy for Mrs. Malfoy any day. I mean, what if our kid has her original nose and my complexion. It'll look like an albino Pug with a red toupee on its head."

"I don't think you have to worry about Pansy's nose, Ron. It was probably caused by her premature birth and not genetics," Hermione reassured him.

"Oh, don't remind of that," he said. "What if the kid asks about his grandparents, what will I tell him? Your grandma was a great pickpocket until she got hooked on coke and H? Even though we don't know who your granddad was, we still named you after him: John."

"You said him. What makes you think it's going to be a boy?" she asked.

"Because Ginny's the only girl in the last three generation of Weasleys." he answered.

"Oh, I see. You know, you don't have to marry Pansy, Ron. You could always come with me to a new school…" she nervously offered. Hermione would never admit it out loud, but it was Ron that she would miss the most, not Harry.

"Sorry, Hermione, but I've got to stay and go through with this," he said.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because, if I don't go through with this, they'll just pick someone else from my family to produce an heir. Bill just got engaged to Fleur, it would destroy him if he couldn't marry her. The twins are just starting up a new business for themselves. Nether one of them has time to be a father now. And in less than a year Ginny will be sixteen. If I do this, my family is off the hook for good."

"It still doesn't seem right," Hermione said angrily. She would hate to admit it, but she was starting to become a little jealous of Pansy Parkinson.

"Besides, Hermione, one of us has to stay here to keep Harry out of trouble," Ron said with a smile.

"Hey, if Voldemort drops dead tomorrow, I'm on the next broom out of here," Harry said.

Just then a large Eagle owl swooped through the open window of the Common Room and dropped a small scroll of parchment on Ron's head. The owl didn't wait for a treat or a reply before leaving.

"Blimey buzzard," Ron said as he unrolled the parchment. He read it once, then crumpled it up in a ball and threw it in the fireplace.

Both Hermione and Harry were staring at Ron. "What?" he asked looking at them.

"Well, what did it say?" Hermione asked impatiently.

"Oh that," he said looking into the fireplace. "It was from Parkinson's parents. They've disowned her."

"Really?" Harry said.

"Yeah, they said the Ministry never told them they were raising a Mudblood. They also said that they won't be spending another red cent on her, and that she is my responsibility now."

"These Pureblood families will never cease to amaze me," Harry said. "To just throw away a daughter you've raised for fifteen and a half years. It's just unbelievable!"

"They probably didn't do it because they hate her, Harry. They most likely did it out of fear," Hermione said.

"What do you mean?" he asked her.

"Well, just think about who the Parkinsons normally socialize with. I bet it's mostly Pureblood families who all support the Dark Lord and his agenda. It might be very dangerous to have a Muggle-born daughter in their family."

"But how could they not know she was a Muggle-born? You'd think they would have asked before adopting her," Ron said.

"Well, Ron, you have to remember that she was born about the same time as you and Harry. That's when Voldemort was at his worst. There were likely a lot of orphans from wizard families back then. The Parkinsons, being a long line of Purebloods, probably couldn't have a magical child of their own, so they took first child that became available."

"I wonder how many other Pureblood families had to adopt a child?" Harry asked.

"Probably a lot more than anyone thinks," Hermione said.

Just then, Ginny came through the portrait with a copy of the 'Daily Prophet' in her hand.

"You guys made the evening edition," she said, taking the seat next to Harry.

Ginny then handed Hermione her copy. Hermione quickly scanned the front page.

**_BLOOD STRENGTH LAW SEIZES HOGWARTS_ **

A _Ministry Official unveiled six new Blood Marriages_

_in Hogwarts Great Hall this morning. Three of these _

_marriages were quite shocking. The first being the_

_marriage between Marcus Flint the talented new_

_rookie Beater for the Tornados, and a Half-blood _

_Ravenclaw girl. Flint was said to be a shoe-in for _

_Rookie of the year honors, but only time will tell if _

_this forced marriage to a Half-blood will hurt his_

_chances._

_Second among these shocking duets, is the marriage _

_between Harry Potter, 'The-Boy-Who-Lived', and the_

_former Mrs. Lucius Malfoy, now Miss Black. Talk about _

_sleeping with the Enemy! Miss Black was not only _

_married to a wizard in league with 'He-Who-Must-Not-_

_Be-Named', but is also sister to escaped Death Eater,_

_Bellatrix Lestrange not to mention having the notorious _

m_ass-murderer, Sirius Black, as her cousin. Black is_

_apparently not just a name for that family, but a way_

_of life. Good luck Mr. Potter._

_The third of these very strange duos is the marriage of _

_Muggle-born, Hermione Granger, to Head of Slytherin_

_House, Professor Severus Snape. The infamous Miss_

_Granger was romantically linked to famed Quidditch stars_

_Victor Krum and Harry Potter two years ago. _

_Apparently this Muggle-born Siren has set her eyes on_

_even bigger fish these days. _

"BLOODY HELL!" Hermione said, tossing the paper back to Ginny. "They're making me out to some kind of gold-digging slut after Snape's money."

"Did they say anything about me?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, they said you're marrying into a family of dark wizards and probably won't survive the honeymoon," she answered.

"Well, at least they got that part right," Harry said.

"How about me?" Ron asked. "Did they mention anything about my marriage?"

"No, the only others they mentioned were Flint and Marietta."

"They talked about Parkinson in another article," Ginny said.

"Where?" Ron asked.

"It's at the bottom of the page," she answered.

Ron took the paper from his sister and began to read the article aloud.

**_MUD IN THE SERPENTS LAIR._**

_The purity of House Slytherin took a blow today when it was _

_revealed that a Muggle- born witch secretly let herself be _

_sorted into the Pureblood-only House. The young witch's true_

_agenda in this deception is not yet known. Several highly_

_influential_ Slytherin_ alumni have owled_

_Headmaster Dumbledore demanding the _

_witch's removal from their House as well as_

_Hogwarts. The Headmaster has_

_yet to comment on the situation. _

_Continued on Page A-5._

"I thought Pansy didn't know she was Muggle-born," Ron said while lowering the paper.

"She didn't, but I doubt that fact will ever make the 'Prophet'," Hermione said. "They just don't want to admit that Muggle-borns could have the same inherited qualities as they do. Even if those qualities are morally bankrupt."

"You would think they would remember that Voldemort was a Half-blood from a Muggle orphanage as well," Harry said.

"I'd be willing to bet that while he was in Slytherin, Riddle kept that little piece of information to himself," Hermione said.

"Do you think they'll kick her out of Slytherin?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know, I guess it depends on how the other Slytherins start to treat her. It will really be hard for them to overlook the fact that she's a Muggle-born," Hermione said.

"You think they'll start mistreating her?" Harry asked.

"Gee, wouldn't that just be a shame, Pansy Parkinson be treated unfairly because she a Muggle-born? What is this world coming to?" Hermione said with an evil, sarcastic smile on her face.

Just then, a large black raven entered the Common Room with a rolled parchment tied to its leg. It landed on the armrest of Harry's chair. Harry untied the parchment from the bird's leg, but the large bird didn't leave. It was obviously awaiting a reply to its message. The parchment had gold seal with the capital B on it. Harry broke the seal, opening the parchment to read.

"What's it say, Harry?" Ron asked.

"It's an invitation to Black Manor for Saturday night at eight. It's for me and two friends," Harry said.

"Who sent it?" Hermione asked.

"It's signed Narcissa Black," Harry answered.

"Do you think she means Malfoy Manor?" Ron asked.

"No, she's probably referring to her parent's home," Hermione replied.

"Not Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place?" Ron asked.

"No, Number Twelve was her uncle's house. This must be someplace different," Harry said.

"It said Manor, so it's probably on an estate somewhere," Hermione said.

"Do you think it's some kind of trap?" Ginny asked.

"I don't think so. Why would she want me to bring back-up if it were a trap?" Harry asked.

"I don't know? Maybe she wants to kill three birds with one stone, if you know what I mean," Ron said.

"So you're thinking of going?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, sure, I'll have to meet her sometime. Maybe she knows a way out of this mess," Harry answered.

"And just who were you planning to take with you on this suicide mission?" Ron asked.

"I'll give you two guesses," Harry said, giving Ron and Hermione a knowing look.

"Hey, what about me?" Ginny said irately from her seat next to Harry. "Why do you always pick them? Maybe I'd like to get out and have an adventure now and then."

Harry reached over and took the pretty young redhead's hand in his own. "Sorry Ginny, but it's too dangerous for you to go. You're the only female Weasley born in the last three generations. If Ron dies, he has five brothers to take his place. I'm afraid you're just too priceless to risk, Ginny."

Ginny began to smile as a blush colored her cheeks. Then the smile on her face vanished as quickly as it had appeared. She had a sad, irritated look on her face now, as if something precious had been stolen from her. Suddenly Ginny rose from her chair and ran up the stairs leading to the girl's dorm rooms.

"What's up with her?" Harry asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"You know, you can be pretty thick sometimes, Harry." Hermione said.

"What is that suppose to mean?" Harry asked.

Ron just shook his head at his clueless friend.

"Miss Granger, may I have a word?" Nearly Headless Nick said from behind them.

"Of course, Sir Nicholas," Hermione answered.

"The Headmaster wishes to speak to you privately in his office before dinner," the old ghost said.

"You may tell the Headmaster I'll be at the gargoyle at six a clock on the dot, Sir Nicholas," she said.

"Very well, Miss Granger. I will inform the Headmaster to expect you at six," Nicholas said, then gave Hermione a little bow.

"Does the Headmaster want to see me too?" Harry asked the ghost.

"No, Mr. Potter, Professor Dumbledore requested that Miss Granger come alone," Nick answered. The ghost then turned from the threesome and left the common room through the ceiling.

"What do you think Dumbledore wants? Maybe he found a way to get you out of marrying Snape," Ron suggested.

"I can only hope, but I seriously doubt it. No, most likely he wants to talk to me about changing schools. My mom and dad wrote him about it yesterday," she said.

Harry reached into his book bag and pulled out a quill and a small bottle of ink. He placed the invitation on the arm of his chair and wrote his acceptance at the bottom. He rolled up the parchment and tied it back onto the raven's leg. Just as Harry finished, the raven let out a loud squawk, then took a lock of Harry's hair in its beak and pulled it from his head.

"SON OF A BITCH!" Harry shouted, as he watched the black bird fly out the Common Room window and into the setting sun. "What was that all about?" Harry asked as he rubbed his head.

"I don't know, but it can't be anything good," Hermione said. She looked at her friend as he continued to rub his head. Harry had not been the same since the loss of his godfather. Sirius was the only family Harry had that actually cared about him. Now he was being asked to marry the woman who was, in a way, partly responsible for Sirius's death.

"Harry, are you sure you can go through with this? She was the one who told Kreacher to lie to you about Sirius."

"I know, Hermione, that's why I have to go. I plan to talk to her about a lot more than just a wedding." he said with a cold look in his eyes.

Next chapter coming soon.

I want to tank everone for reviewing. I really appreciate hearing what you think.


	4. Head To Head

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

Beta'd by Nakhash Mekashefah The Serpent Sorceress.

**The Power of the Quill.**

Chapter 04 Head to Head:

At 5:59, Hermione arrived at the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance to Dumbledore's office. As soon as the school bells chimed the new hour, the gargoyle rotated upward, allowing her to enter.

"Good evening, Miss Granger. Punctual as always I see," Dumbledore said with a smile.

Hermione entered the Headmaster's office to see the kindly old wizard sitting behind his desk reading a large parchment with a Ministry seal in the corner.

"Good evening to you, too, Professor. How are you doing this evening?" she said as respectfully as possible.

"I'm fine, Miss Granger. Please, have a seat my dear," he said, gesturing to one of the two chairs in front of his desk. "Have you received your contract from the Ministry yet?"

"Yes, the Ministry's owls were waiting for us when we returned to Gryffindor Tower," she answered.

"If you don't mind me asking, what did you think of the Marriage contract?"

"Actually, Professor, I haven't opened it yet."

"May I ask why not, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked, looking at her over the rims of half moon spectacles.

Hermione took a deep breath before answering. "I just didn't see the point. The contract doesn't really matter since I have no intention of marrying Professor Snape, or anyone else for that matter."

"I see," Dumbledore said with a concerned look on his face. "Miss Granger, there are some recent events that you need to be made aware of before you make any decision regarding this matter."

"What events, Professor?" she asked.

"Less than an hour ago, I received an owl from Kingsley Shacklebolt informing me that Mr. Turnnage, Claudia's father, was arrested late this afternoon by Ministry Aurors for complicity against the Ministry."

"I don't understand. What did he do?" she asked.

"Miss Turnnage received notice of her impending marriage this morning about the same time as yourself. Around noon today Miss Turnnage left England on a Muggle plane for America. Since it was Mr. Turnnage who bought the plane tickets for his daughter, the ministry arrested him."

"That's outrageous!" Hermione responded in shock. "How can they do such a thing?"

"You must understand, Miss Granger, when Muggle parents of a magical child enter that child into the Wizarding world, they agree to be held accountable to our laws. The Ministry felt that Mr. Turnnage was deliberately trying to circumvent its new law by sending his daughter to another country."

"What's going to happen to him?" she asked anxiously.

"The Ministry plans to hold Mr. Turnnage until his daughter returns and fulfills her contract with Mr. Zabini. If she doesn't return before her thirty day grace period is up, the Ministry is threatening to sentence him to Azkaban for ten years."

"Are you saying that if I leave the country, my dad could be arrested?" Hermione asked.

"Miss Granger, the Ministry is very serious about seeing that all of these new marriages come to fruition. Miss Turnnage only has one living parent, her father. I believe that if you were to suddenly disappear, most likely both your parents would end up in Ministry custody."

"This isn't fair. How can they punish my parents for something I refuse to do?" she asked the old wizard as her eyes started to water.

"I'm afraid the Ministry cares little for what is fair, Hermione. This new law is more about power than the preservation of old bloodlines. The Ministry and Minister Fudge are determined to prove that they, and no one else, are in control of the Wizarding community."

"So, you're saying that the Ministry will force me to get married no matter what I do?" she asked, devastated.

"Unfortunately, Miss Granger, the Ministry seems to have taken a very strong interest in your betrothal."

"Why me?" she asked.

"I believe Minister Fudge considers you a threat, Miss Granger. I'm sure Professor Umbridge reported your involvement in the D.A defense club to him."

The truth of the situation began to dawn on her. "Oh my God! Harry, Ron, Marietta and I are the only ones Umbridge knew for sure were in the D.A. club, and we were all selected. We're all being forced to marry Slytherins too, that can't be just a coincidence. Scientifically selected, my ass, they did this on purpose," she heatedlysaid. Hermione could feel her anger beginning to boil inside her.

"I believe you are correct, Miss Granger. While I do believe that some scientific work was done in the individual matches, it is obvious that Minister Fudge influenced the outcome as much as possible. He believes that this will keep you, Harry, and Ronald otherwise occupied and not interfering in any of his plans for at least a year, if not longer. Remember, Miss Granger, that next year is an election year. I doubt Minister Fudge will let anything stand in the way of his reelection."

A bright green flash erupted from the fireplace next to them as Professor Snape appeared out of the flames.

"Ah, Severus, fashionably late as always," the Headmaster said with a smile.

"You must forgive my belated arrival, Headmaster, I had some very important correspondence that I needed to owl to the Ministry this evening," Snape said to Dumbledore but kept his eyes locked on Hermione. "What is this Gryffindor doing here?" Snape asked in an irritated voice.

"This concerns Miss Granger as equally as it does yourself, Severus. She has the right to be present at any discussion of this matter."

"Very well," Snape said, as he turned his attention from her to the old wizard.

"May I ask what you were owling the Ministry about, Severus?" Dumbledore asked.

"I sent a request to the Head Minister's office asking to have this ridiculous contract dissolved. They can't expect me to perform my duties as Potions Professor here at Hogwarts if a…" he paused briefly to give Hermione a quick, disdainful glance before continuing, "…if a student is my betrothed. The school would accuse me of favoritism to no end, if that were to happen."

Hermione almost choked as she heard Snape's words. The man was well-known for his favoritism toward his own House. It was a bad joke that he should be concerned about such things now.

"Severus, I wish you hadn't done that."

"Why?" Snape asked.

"Because I want you and Miss Granger to accept the Ministry's contract," the old wizard said seriously.

"WHAT?" both Hermione and Snapeasked together.

Hermione quickly shot to her feet. "Professor, you can't expect me to marry this...this...this..." Hermione couldn't finish her sentence without offending everybody in the room.

"Headmaster, this is insane. I would never marry this wire- haired, little know-it-all Gryffindor. Let alone breed with it," Shape insolently said to the Professor.

Hermione glared at the dark man who had just insulted her. It was his use of the word 'it' that had bothered her the most, as if she were something less than human.

"Will you both please just calm yourselves? I will explain if given the chance," the old wizard assured them.

Hermione lowered herself back into her seat. She didn't know if she really wanted to hear what Dumbledore had to say. The old man had a bad habit of seeing the good in even the strangest things.

"Severus, you should realize that the Ministry isn't going to stop until they have secured both noble bloodlines. What they did to Narcissa Malfoy should give you a clue on how far they are willing to go to achieve this. Eventually, you will be forced to take a bride Severus. I believe we were very fortunate that Miss Granger was selected for you."

"How can you possibly think that Albus?" Snapeasked with an annoyed look on his face.

"Your service to the Order is far too valuable to jeopardize. Your contacts among Voldemort's forces may start tobecome suspicious of you if you were forced to marry an adult Muggle-born or Half-blood witch. I believe Miss Granger's youth will help relieve their distrust. They will not believe she has any real influence over you."

"You cannot be serious?" Hermione asked, not believing what she was hearing.

"I'm very serious, Miss Granger. This union will benefit you as well as Professor Snape. Minister Fudge is determined to see you wed. As you have already pointed out, he would prefer it to be to someone you find less than desirable."

"Well, I think he succeeded, probably beyond his wildest dreams. Don't you?" she said, giving Snape a quick but disgusted look.

"Miss Granger, I understand your misgivings. But you need to understand that if you don't marry Professor Snape, it is more than likely that you could be betrothed to the son of a Pureblood family that supports the Dark Lord and his cause, or maybe even to one of his Death Eaters."

Hermione felt the pit of her stomach begin to turn. The thought of marrying Snape was repulsive to her, but being forced by the Ministry into the hands of her enemies terrified her. She didn't really know that much about her Potions professor, other than Dumbledore seem to trust him. She doubted the Headmaster would intentionally put her in any real danger.

"You both need to understand the true dilemma this new law presents. Each of you carries very sensitive information about the Order with you. Whomever you wed will need to be trustworthy beyond a fault. Several people's lives and the fight against Voldemort will depend on this."

"What you ask is impossible, Albus," Snape said. "The girl is but a mere child. If memory serves, she doesn't even turn sixteen until the middle of September. I don't even see how this is legal."

"Miss Granger's true age was increased by the use of a Time Turner in her third year. She used the device to take extra courses," the Headmaster answered.

"The blood tests were conducted in late July, she would have had to be of age at that time. I doubt that a few extra courses would increase her age anywhere near that," Snape said.

"I was very curious about that myself, Severus," the old wizard said. Both men were staring at her as if waiting for an explanation.

"Well, it just seemed to mount up," she told them.

"Would you care to elaborate, Miss Granger?" Snape asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, there were the extra courses. Plus, I needed extra time to study for them. I also needed a lot of extra time to research things for Harry and Ron. During the summer, my parents always take their vacation. The only way I can help out at Number 12 and go with my parents is to use my Time Turner. S.P.E.W also takes up a lot of my time as do my prefect duties."

They both look mildly astonished at her. "Miss Granger, I was under the impression that you returned the Time Turner to Professor McGonagall at the end of your third year," Dumbledore asked.

"I did, but I found another for a very reasonable price in Diagon Alley later that summer," she answered.

"Miss Granger, just how old _are_ you?" Snapeasked in an aggravated tone.

"Sixteen and a half," she replied sheepishly.

"SIX AND A HALF MONTHS!" Snape spat.

"You see, Severus, there's nothing to worry about. With Miss Granger's continued liberal use of her Time Turner, you'll be her junior in no time at all," Dumbledore said with a smile and a slight twinkle to his eyes.

"Only a Gryffindor such as yourself, Albus, could find amusement in such arrogant and reckless behavior as Granger has shown," Snape said accusingly to the Headmaster.

"The fact that neither of you knew I was using a Time Turner shows how careful I've been," Hermione said defending herself.

"I realize how hard this will be on the both of you," Dumbledore said seriously. "But we are entering dark times once again and the future of our world is uncertain. We will all be required to make sacrifices before this new war is over. I can only hope that these sacrifices will be enough."

"Albus, you are asking me to wed one of my students and take her into my bed. There must be another way!" Snape exclaimed.

"I wish there were, Severus. We are fighting this war on two different fronts this time. The Order cannot push against the Ministry and still be effective against Voldemort's forces," the Headmaster answered.

"But I'm twenty years her senior, there is no way this could work," Snape told him.

"I'll have you know, I was forty-three years older than my last wife and we were quite happy together," Dumbledore proudly said.

"You were a hundred and seventeen years old at the time, I hardly think this is the same," Snape snapped.

"We were both still young at heart, Severus. Our passion for each other had nothing to do with our age."

A disturbing image of a hundred and twenty year old Dumbledore necking with an eighty year old witch ran through Hermione's mind. She shuddered with revulsion, trying to rid herself of the mental picture.

"You were only married for two years before she left you and moved to another country. How much passion could there possibly have been?" Snape asked.

"A little too much I'm afraid," Dumbledore said with a hint of sadness.

Snape raised his hand and began to massage his brow. "Headmaster, if you believe this is the best and only solution to this nightmare, then I will marry the little Muggle-born brat," Snape dejectedly said.

"Well, Miss Granger, that just leaves you," Dumbledore said, giving her a sympathetic look.

"Do I have a choice?" she asked, sounding very depressed.

"You always have a choice, Hermione. But in situations such as this, you need to make the wisest choice possible. Even if that choice is the lesser of two evils," Dumbledore said, trying to reassure her.

"I guess you're right, Professor. I will need to send an owl to my parents telling them what's happening," she said in a low voice, not believing what she was agreeing to.

"Excellent, now all we need to do is agree upon a date," the old wizard said.

Hermione knew she didn't want to rush into this; she wanted to put this off for as long as possible in case a better solution presented itself to her. "Professor, I'm going to need some time to get use to this idea. I would prefer to wait as long as possible," she pleadingly said to the old wizard.

"I agree," Snape said. "There is just enough time left for me to brew up a batch of Polyjuice Potion before we are forced to marry. After the ceremony, I will give some, with a lock of my hair, to Potter or Weasley, whichever one Granger is currently debasing herself with."

Hermione was stunned by how cruelly and carelessly Snape insulted her virtue. "I AM NOT NOW, NOR HAVE I EVER, DEBASED MYSELF WITH ANYONE, PROFESSOR!" she shouted angrily at Snape.

Snape stared at her with a doubtful glare. "Miss Granger, I hope you don't believe me to be that naïve. I have graded enough of Potter and Weasley's essays to know they nearly always mirror your own. Do you expect me to believe that you provided these two simpletons with the means to pass my class merely for friendship's sake?"

Hermione could feel her blood begin to simmer as she stared up into Snape's hateful, cold black eyes. There was no way she was going to let this vile man get away with insulting her and her friends that way. "Of course I wouldn't expect you to understand. You would have to have a friend to understand, wouldn't you? And we both know you never had one of those," she said to Snape. He continued to sneer at her. "Yeah, Harry told me all about the little scene in the Pensieve last year. You were just everybody's little whipping boy, weren't you? The school's own Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Hogwarts," she said with a wicked smile on her face.

"You insolent little rodent," Snape said, as he took a menacing step towards her.

Hermione held her ground, puffing up her own chest a little. She wasn't about to let this man intimidate her now, or ever again. Luckily for her, the headmaster was the only one capable of taking points away while they were in his office.

"Will you both please control yourselves," Dumbledore implored the two. "There will be plenty of time to act like husband and wife after the wedding. As for your clever, if not disturbing, idea of using Polyjuice, I doubt that it will work Severus. The Ministry has undoubtedly used a charm in their contracts to guarantee these marriages are faithfully consummated. I'm afraid you will have to do this yourself, Severus."

Hermione was actually a little disappointed that Snape's idea about using Polyjuice wouldn't work. The thought of losing her virginity to Snape made her flesh crawl. Just then, an idea came to mind. "Professor, you said that Professor Snape couldn't give Polyjuice Potion to anyone else on our wedding night, right?" she asked.

"That's correct Miss Granger," Dumbledore answered.

"But there is nothing in the marriage contract that says he can't take the potion, is there?"

"No. Why?" Dumbledore replied.

" Just what are you suggesting, you little tart?" Snape asked, sounding a bit bothered.

"I was just thinking that it might be better if you didn't look like you on our wedding night. I would feel a lot better if you looked like someone I trusted and respected," she said seriously to Snape.

"And just who did you have in mind, Granger?" Snape asked angrily through his clenched teeth.

"I don't have anybody in mind. It's something I will have to think about," she answered.

"No need to waste your time, Miss Granger, I've already thought of the perfect candidate. Someone you already trust and respect," Snape said with an evil smirk on his face.

"Who?" Hermione asked, knowing she wasn't going to like the answer.

"Hagrid, Miss Granger. I guarantee you'll love it. Although, you probably won't be able to walk for a month," Snape said, still smirking at her.

"You wouldn't dare," she growled in a threatening tone.

Snape leaned in until they were almost nose-to-nose. "Try me."

"You're a pig," she spat back in a low, harsh voice.

Snape raised himself up to his full height to tower over her. "Miss Granger, I will expect your respect, loyalty and complete obedience once you are my bride," he said in a dangerous tone of voice.

"You can expect bats to fly out of your ass for all I care. If we get married, and that is still a big if, I will expect to be treated as an equal. Not as your student, subordinate or your whore. As a matter of fact, I think I will be the one wearing the pants in this family. There's no way a crabby old turd like you could possible know how to run one," she said with a defiant look on her face.

Snape's head looked like it was about to explode. Both his hands were clenched tightly into fists. "You disrespectful little Mudblood!" he spat at her.

Absolutely livid, Hermione pulled her wand from her robe pocket and pointed it at Snape. "WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?" she screamed at him.

Snape pulled out his own wand. "You wouldn't dare," in a low threatening voice.

Intent on proving to Snape just how wrong he was, Hermione wasted no time sending her first hexes at him. "_Liqueremotus!_" she shouted. Blue light erupted from the tip of her wand. Snape reacted quickly, deflecting her curse with a blocking charm.

"That will do!" a voice roared from her right. Both wands shot from their hands. She turned to see Dumbledore holding them as both sleeves on the Hheadmaster's robe fell down around his wrists. To her horror, Hermione realized that her deflected curse must have hit the Professor. Dumbledore pointed Hermione's wand at himself and said, "_Finite Incantatem_." A white light shot out the tip of her wand, but not before all the buttons on the front of his robe fell to the ground.

"I'm so sorry, Professor," she apologized to the Headmaster.

"Sorry is not enough, Miss Granger," Snape angrilysaid. "Headmaster, this girl has just tried to curse a member of the staff and succeeded in cursing you. She should be punished severely, if not expelled."

"I believe you were both involved in that rather juvenile display, Severus. If I punish MissGranger, I will also have to punish you," the Headmaster said seriously to the younger wizard.

"Very well," Snape angrily said, as he held out his hand to retrieve his wand from Dumbledore. "I do not wish to speak to either of you again on this matter for the next twenty nine days," Snape said, as he turned and headed for the fireplace. "Insufferable Gryffindors," he muttered, stepping into the fireplace.

This prompted Hermione to throw one last insult at him. "Why don't you go wash that greasy mop on your head. You look like you had your head shoved up a cow's cun... " She didn't finish her vulgar statement, realizing he had already left and Dumbledore was still in the room.

Hermione turned to face the old wizard. Suddenly all her bravado and boldness seemed to disappear. "I'm sorry about that Professor," she said in a low voice.

"That's quite all right, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, as he removed his sleeves from his arms.

"I'm also sorry about your robe, Professor," she said as sincerely as possible.

"It's nothing that can't be fixed," Dumbledore said, as he laid the two sleeves down on his desk. " That was a very interesting spell you used. I don't believe I have ever heard of it before."

"No, it's something I came up with myself over the summer for the D.A. club," she told him.

"Inventing your own spells, how creative of you Miss Granger," the Headmaster said with a smile.

"Thank you, Professor," she said, feeling relieved that he was not upset with her. However, Hermione still felt guilty about all of the thing she said to Snape in front of the Headmaster. "Professor, may I ask you a question?"

"Of course my dear," he replied.

"Professor, why did you let us get so carried away? You could have stopped us before we said all those horrible things to each other," she asked, while trying not to sound as if she were accusing him of anything.

"Miss Granger, I do not believe people should bottle up their emotion. It was quite apparent to me that you and Severus would come to a head over this matter eventually. I merely wished to be present to insure things didn't get too out of hand."

"Is that why you didn't stop this morning's food fight right away?" she asked.

"Well, that and the fact it was quite entertaining," he answered with another smile. "Hermione was thankful that the Headmaster was still trying to cheer her up. "Hermione, you and Severus have a lot in common. You are both highly intelligent, dedicated and loyal individuals. But, you both have a very stubborn streak within you. You will have to overcome your differences if you are to have any sense of happiness together."

"I will settle for us not killing each other," she said seriously to Dumbledore.

"As will I," he said, giving her a quick wink. "Do you know what kind of ceremony you wish to have performed, Hermione?"

"No, but I guarantee my mother does. She's been planning my wedding since before I was born. Professor, how am I going to tell her? This will break her heart," she said, feeling quite depressed.

"The truth will be enough, my child," he answered sympathetically. "It is almost time for supper to be served in the Great Hall. You should head down and join the rest of your House. I'm sure they're waiting impatiently to question you about what was spoken of here," he said and gave her a knowing look. "Besides, I am feeling a bit of a draft. I will need to go put something warmer on before heading down myself."

"Thank you, Headmaster, for all your help," she said as she got up to leave.

"You're welcome, my dear," Dumbledore said as he rose from behind the desk.

Once she reached the door, Hermione turned back to once again apologize for the hex. To her horror, she was met with a sight that would haunt her until her dying day. The entire back of the Headmaster's robe had dissolved away from his waist down. His one hundred and sixty three year old, extremely wrinkled, mole covered ass was completely exposed. Hermione clamped her hand over her eyes and fled the room in search of something to gouge out her eyes.

NEXT CHAPTER COMING SOON.

I want to thank everyone that has reviewed this story so far. You make writing this a real pleasure.


	5. The Longest Day

Beta'd by Nakhash Mekashefah.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 05.The Longest Day.

Harry waited impatiently in the entrance of the Great Hall for Hermione to return from her visit to Dumbledore's office. He was holding out hope that the Headmaster could find some way to get him and his friends out of this marriage law mess, or at least find a way for Hermione to stay at Hogwarts. As **_The-Boy-Who-Lived_**, he had very few true friends of his own. He really didn't want to lose anyone because of this stupid law. The loss of Siriushad beenalmost too much for him to bear. The death of his godfather still plagued his dreams almost every night. Harry doubted he could stand losing another friend so soon after Sirius.

Harry felt someone tap him on the shoulder from behind. When he turned around, he was staring into the beautiful almond shaped eyes of Cho Chang. "Harry can I speak with you for a moment?" she asked.

"Sure Cho," he answered.

"In private," she said, then led him out of the hall and into the corridor.

Aftermaking sure they were alone in the corridorCho finally said, "Harry, I was wondering, are you going to start up the D.A club again this year?" Harry looked at Cho; she was even more beautiful than he remembered herat the end of his fifth year. Even though he no longer had romantic feelings for her, he still felt nervous talking to her.

The truth was Harry had already been given permission by Dumbledore to continue on with the club this year. He just didn't know if he should tell Cho; she was still Marietta's best friend. Harry really wished the memory charm Shacklebolt used on her was permanent. He wouldn't have to be worry about Marietta if it was.

Harry thought about it for a moment. Cho was not only Head-Girl but also very smart. It would only be a matter of time before she figured out that the D.A club was still active. To lie to her now would serve no purpose. He just had to try to swear her to secrecy, and hope she didn't let anything slip to Marietta. "Cho I need you to promise me that youwon't tell anyone, and I mean _anyone_, about what I say to you now."

"Of course Harry, I won't say a word," Cho answered.

"We are restarting the D.A club. Grubbly-Plank may know a few things about Care of Magical Creatures, but I doubt she knows anything about Defense Against the Dark Arts," Harry said.

"I thought Dumbledore said she was only temporary until thenew D.A.D.A Professor shows up." Cho said.

"Yeah, but we don't know who that is, yet. For all we know it could be someone even worse than Umbridge, if that's possible. Besides, Dumbledore is giving us his full support this time. All we have to do now is pick who we want in the club and what times we should meet."

"Well that's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about," Cho said with a shy look on her face. This is what Harry was afraid of, he hadn't decided yet if he was going to ask Cho to rejoin the club. He was still worried about her close friendship with Marietta and the fact that she was Head-Girl might bring some unwanted attention to the group. Another reason he didn't want her there, was that he was afraid she might be distracting to him. Harry really wanted to put his all into the club this year; he didn't think he could do that if he was always getting nervous every time he was around Cho.

On the other hand there might be some advantages to having Cho back in the group. She was a very smart, talented witch, and was very good on a broom. The fact that she was Head-Girl could come in handy if they wanted to avoid the Slytherin Prefects.

"Harry, I wanted to ask you a big favor," Cho said giving him a big set pleading brown eyes.

"Yeah," Harry said, giving her a knowing look.

"I want you to invite Marietta to rejoin the D.A club," Choasked apprehensively.

"WHAT!" Harry shouted back at her. "Are you mad?"

"Harry let me explain," she quicklysaid.

"NO," Harry said flatly, then turned to head back into the Great Hall.

"Harry please listen," she pleaded while holding onto his arm so that he couldn't leave. Harry turned back to face her, he couldn't believe Cho would ask such a thing.

"Cho, there is no way in hell I'm ever going to let Marietta back in the D.A club," he angrily stated.

"Harry, this marriage law thing is really bothering her. She has already been through a whole lot this summer. I don't think she can handle this allby herself. I think it would help her a lot to be with people who are in the same situation, like Hermione, Hannah, and yourself."

"She betrayed us Cho. Do you have any idea how much trouble she caused? Dumbledore was almost arrested and sent to Azkaban. Professor McGonagall ended up in St. Mungo's and Hagrid was on the run for weeks. Fred and George spent the better part of the summer making up the lost classes they missed and taking their N.E.W.T'safter Umbridgeexpelled them. There no way I'm ever going to forgive her, let alone trust her again," Harry said in an inflexible tone of voice.

"Harry, Marietta realized she was wrong as soon as Fudge tried to arrest Dumbledore. She feels terrible about all the trouble she caused. You have no idea how much pressure her mother and Professor Umbridge were putting on her."

"We were all under pressure Cho, but Marietta was the only one to sell us out. She even sold out you, her best and probably only friend. How can you expect me to trust a person like that?"

"You don't know what it's been like for her lately, Harry. Ever since Umbridge replaced Dumbledore, people have blamed her for everything that has gone wrong at the school. Even with Dumbledore back, they still accuse her of being a spy for Fudge and the Ministry. Her own housemates make fun of her now. They keep calling her by this disgusting nick-name."

"What do they call her?" Harry asked. "Rat, fink, traitor, stoolie am I getting close?" he said sarcastically.

"No Harry, it's much worse. They call her…" Cho paused. She seemed reluctant to repeat what people were calling Marietta out loud. "They're are calling her Fudgepacker."

Harry let out a snort of laughter at hearing the nickname. It seemed a perfect fit to him.

"It's not funny, Harry," Cho said, looking veryannoyed.

"Well I guess it all depends on your perspective, doesn't it, Cho. I think it's rather catchy myself. If you want Marietta to pal around with someone she has a lot in common with, why don't you set her up on a play date with Parkinson? I hear Pansy is fresh out of friends at the moment. The two of them seem like two peas in a pod if you ask me," Harry seriously suggested.

"Harry Potter, you know damn well that Marietta is nothing like Parkinson. She made a mistake, that doesn't mean she doesn't care about people," Cho said angrily.

"The only person I have ever seen Marietta care about is herself. That sounds a lot like Parkinson to me," Harry spat back at Cho.

"Well wise-ass, what you don't know is that after your fight in the Department of Mysteries last summer, Fudge had Marietta's mother bring her down to the Ministry for a interrogation. They wanted her to sign a statement saying that the D.A club was training people to overthrow the Ministry. They wanted her to give them a list of all the members' names and everything that was said and done in the club meetings. She refused, Harry. And because she wouldn't sign, her own mother threw her out. She had to spend the rest of the summer living with her Muggle relative in London."

Harry was a little surprised by this, although he wouldn't put something like this past Fudge. Both Fudge and the Ministry were very embarrassed after Voldemort had been spotted in the Ministry building. They would do anything to shift the blame from themselves to Dumbledore.

Harry could really sympathize with Marietta about having to stay with Muggle relatives for the summer. He had just finished another horrible summer at Number Four Privet Drive. On his second day there, Uncle Vernon informed Harry that he had gotten him a summer job as a stock boy at the local grocer. He spent his entire summer working there for slave wages with only one day off a week. Of course it really didn't matter how much he made, because Uncle Vernon always showed up on payday and took every last cent. "For Fifteen years of room and board, you lazy little freak," Uncle Vernon had said.

Harry thought about what Cho had said. He knew that Marietta hadn't said anything to the Ministry. If she had, it would have been in the Dailey Prophet the next day. Not to mention that a pack of Aurors probably would have showed up at Privet Drive to haul him off to Azkaban.

"Cho I appreciate the fact that she didn't sign the Ministry's statement. But that doesn't undo what she did; a lot of people got hurt because of her. I just don't see why I should give her another chance," he said sincerely. Cho cocked her head slightly to the side as she stared at him. Harry knew that the wheels were turning in that Ravenclaw head of hers.

"Harry, I can stand here all night and try to convince you to take Marietta back, but I won't. Instead I'll simply point out the facts and let you decide. Marietta is a bright wonderful person who made a mistake. You're the only one who can forgive her for that mistake, Harry. Now you can forgive her and make a loyal friend for life, or you can do what the rest of the world is doing and reject her, forcing her to become resentful and full of bitterness. So you see it's really very simple, make a friend, or possibly an enemy, for life. It's up to you Harry," Cho said in a solemn voice.

Harry wondered if Cho knew just how strong a point she had made to him. He had seen firsthand how childhood grudges and house rivalries could turn people into mortal enemies. While Harry didn't think he could ever trust Marietta fully again, he certainly didn't want to add her to the long list of enemies he already had. Harry let out a low groan, because he couldn't believe what he was about to do. "Ok Cho, I'll take her back," he said, soundingmore thanbothered by the whole thing.

Cho let out a high-pitched squeal and threw her arms around him. "You truly are the hero everybody says you are, Harry Potter. I promise you will not regret this," she said sincerely.

"I better not," he said in a mock threatening tone.

"You won't, I guarantee it," she said, and then kissed him on the cheek. Harry could feel his face turning red. Probably sensing his embarrassment, Cho quickly pulled herself away from him.

"Well, I guess we should head back before all the food is gone," she said with a smile.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," he said, hoping the blush on his face wasn't too obvious.

"Ok, thanks again Harry, I will see you at the first D.A meeting,"Cho said as she walked down the corridor to the Great Hall. Harry stopped to think about what he had just done. Not only had he agreed to accept Marietta back in the D.A club, but also had somehow alsoinvited Cho to rejoin as well. Hermione was just going to kill him.

As Harry started to enter the Great Hall, he saw Marietta standing inside the entrance. Her eyes lit up a bit as soon as she saw him. Harry looked at Cho, who was making a dash for the Ravenclaw table at high speed. 'I've been set up,' he thought to himself. Harry decided it would be best to treat this situation like a band-aid. Best to get it over with as quickly as possible.

"Hello Marietta," he said in a monotone, emotionless voice.

"Hello Harry," she said sounding very nervous.

Harry stared at the girl's forehead. He was trying to see if there was any hint of the word _SNEAK_ still there. Instinctively Marietta raised her hand to cover her forehead. "It went away after about a month," she said sounding a little embarrassed.

"Sorry about that," Harry said, not really sure that he was.

"It's ok, I guess I kind of deserved it."

"Yes you did," Harry quickly snapped back. Marietta began to look nervous again. Harry knew he needed to get this over with before Marietta broke down in a fit of tears and ran away. "Marietta I want you to rejoin the D.A club this year."

"Oh thank you Harry," Marietta said as she broke into tears. She threw her arms around him in a bear-like hug of appreciation.

Harry quickly pried himself lose from the iron grip she had around his waist. "Listen Marietta, this is not going to be that easy. You will have to prove your loyalty to the other members. In our first meeting you will explain to everyone why you did what you did, and tell us everything Fudge wanted you to say in that statement. When you're done I will put your reentry into the D.A to a vote. The only thing I can promise is that I will speak on your behalf before the vote. But I will not tell anyone they have to vote you back in, it will be completely up to them. Do you understand?" he asked.

"Yes, I guess it's only fair," she said sounding a little worried.

"Good, we'll let you know when the first meeting is."

"Thank you, I really do appreciate this second chance Harry," she said gratefullyas she turned to head back to her house table. Suddenly she turned back around and planted a quick kiss on his right cheek. Before Harry could comment, she quickly ran off in the direction of the Ravenclaw table. Harry could feel the blush return to his face. He was beginning to wonder if girls were his Achilles' heel. He would have to ask Remus if his father was the same way. As soon as he turned to face the entrance again, a very pale-looking Hermione entered the hall.

.>.>.

It had taken Hermione almost twenty minutes to make the five-minute walk from Dumbledore's office to the Great Hall. She had spent the extra time trying to go over everything that happen in the Headmaster's office. She tried to concentrate on the facts, but the sight of Dumbledore's backside kept popping back into her head.

"My God Hermione, you look like someone just walked across your grave," Harry said as he met her in the entrance.

"It was horrible Harry. It looked like two deflated white leather balloons. The extra skin hung half way down to his knees. All the moles had gray hairs coming out of them," she said, still in a kind of trance.

"Hermione, what are you talking about?" Harry asked, looking a bit puzzled.

"Nothing Harry, nothing at all," she said not ever wanting to discuss what she saw again.

"What did Dumbledore have to say? Did he find a way out of this so you don't have to leave Hogwarts?" he hopefullyasked.

"Oh yeah, he found a way to keep me at Hogwarts alright."

"How?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Well, let's just say, next year when your little messy-haired ferret is running around with Ron's redheaded albino pug, there will probably be a greasy-haired, hook-nosed, know-it-all joining them."

"You can't be serious, you're not going to marry Snape?"

"The Ministry hasn't really left me a choice on the matter Harry," she tiredly stated. "Come on lets go get something to eat and I'll tell you all about it," Hermione said as she led the way to the Gryffindor table.

Five minutes later she had finished telling Harry everything that was said in Dumbledore's office. Of course she left out some of the more graphic comments she and Snape had made to each other. She also planned to take the part about accidentally hexing Dumbledore to her grave without telling another soul.

"Arresting people's parents. That's low even for Fudge. And you think he and Umbridge are behind these weird match-ups as well?" Harry asked.

"Why else do you think we are all marrying Slytherins? I don't think they know about Hannah being in the Club. If they did she probably would have ended up with a Slytherin to."

"Actually Hermione, only you and Ron are marrying Slytherins. I checked my contract, it said Narcissa went to Beauxbatons," Harry said.

"Well she might as well be a Slytherin. She married one and raised another," Hermione answered back. "Where's Ron?" she asked, staring at the empty seat to her left.

"He already went back to Gryffindor Tower. He didn't want to take a chance of running into Parkinson, if he could help it," Harry answered.

Hermione took a quick glance over at the Slytherin table. Pansy wasn't there.

"I guess she's still in the infirmary," Harry said, looking over at the Slytherins as well.

Hermione just shrugged her shoulders and went back to eating her dinner. She had way too much going on in her own life to give a rat's ass about Pansy Parkinson.

"Did I see you talking to Marietta Edgecombe when I came in?" Hermione asked.

"Uhm, yeah you did," Harry said, looking extremely guilty.

"Oh Harry, what did you do now?" she asked with a very irritated look on her face.

"Well, I was talking to Cho earlier and she suggested that it might be a good idea to ask Marietta to rejoin the D.A club," Harry said awkwardly.

"Just how the fuck could it be a good idea to let Edgecombe anywhere near the D.A club again?" she angrily asked .

"Cho made a very good point about it actually," he assured her.

"Oh I bet she did," Hermione said sarcastically. "I thought you were over her Harry?"

"I am over her, that had nothing to do with it. She simply pointed out that it might be better to have Marietta as a friend, rather than an enemy. Besides, I learned something very important about Fudge from her."

"What did you learn?" Hermione asked.

"After our fight with the Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries, Fudge tried to get Marietta to sign a statement saying the club was training students to overthrow the Ministry."

"Edgecombe didn't sign?" Hermione asked.

"Nope," he answered.

"You know, maybe you're right. It might be a lot safer if Edgecombe did rejoin the club. At least then she'll be under a magical oath, and not able to talk to anybody about us."

"So you plan to use a magical oath again this year?" Harry asked.

"Yes, but I won't make the same mistake this time," she answered.

"What mistake?" Harry asked, looking a little puzzled.

"Well, the last oath only punished those who told about the club. That would only work if they knew about the curse in advance. This year I plan to use an oath that will not only punish, but also prevent people from talking about the club. That reminds me, I need you to go into the Chamber of Secrets and get me a Basilisk tooth. Preferably a fang."

"A Basilisk tooth, what for?" Harry asked sounding a bit nervous.

"For the new D.A loyalty oath, Harry. I found a really great one in a book at Number Twelve this summer. It partially petrifies anybody trying to break their oath, for at least a week."

"What do you mean, it partially petrifies?" Harry asked.

"Well I think they can still blink and breath. Other than that, they stay stiff as a board," Hermione answered.

"I don't think anyone's going to be breaking that oath," Harry said with a smile.

Hermione looked over at the Ravenclaw table to see Marietta. She was talking quite cheerfully to Cho. "Say Harry, you didn't invite Cho to rejoin as well, did you?" Hermione asked. Another guilty look appeared on Harry's face. "Oh Harry," she said dropping her fork to her dish and then letting out a deep sigh.

"Well I didn't really. She just assumed she was invited when I told her we'd take Marietta back."

"And of course you didn't try to correct her, did you?" she asked in a reprimanding tone of voice.

"No," Harry said quietly.

"You are so whipped, Harry Potter," Hermione said accusingly.

"I am not," Harry shouted back at her.

"Are you going to go into the Chamber of Secrets and get me my tooth?" she asked.

"Yes, of course," he answered.

"See, whipped!" she said with a smile on her face.

"Stuff a sock in it Granger," he said smiling back at her.

Hermione looked up at the staff table. Snape's chair was empty. Dumbledore was there and winked at her when she caught his eye. Hermione shuddered as the disturbing picture of her Headmaster reentered her mind. She wonder if he had any clue that she had seen his bare backside.

"Care for a nice piece of moldy ass, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"WHAT?" Hermione shouted back.

"I said, do you want a piece of lemon pie?" Harry answered, looking a little confused.

Hermione knew she would go insane if she couldn't get Dumbledore's fossilized butt out of her head. She would need to find a good memory charm or a Pensieve she could use. She would have to do something soon before she took a one-way jump off the Astronomy Tower.

>.>.>.

Hermione entered her dorm room to the sound of whispers and girlish giggles. Sitting on the middle four-poster bed, was Ginny, Parvati and Lavender. On the bed in front of them was a large freshly unrolled piece of parchment. "Is that my marriage contract?" Hermione asked.

"Uh, yeah, I didn't think you would mind. Seeing how you're not really going to marry Professor Snape," Ginny said as she rolled the parchment back up.

"Boy I wish that were still true," Hermione said as plopped down on the bed next to Ginny.

"You're kidding," Ginny said, sounding surprised.

"Nope, unless a miracle happens I'll be marrying the greasy bastard in less than a month."

"Well then, you really do need to read this," Ginny said as she quickly unrolled the parchment again. "This contract tells you all about Professor Snape."

"Does it tell you why he's such a Dickhead?" Hermione asked as she unbuttoned her robe and pulled it over her head. All three girls laughed at her comment.

"No it doesn't tell you that, but it does tell you about his family and everything he's done publicly up until now," Ginny said.

Hermione leaned over to look at the parchment. The first thing she noticed was Snape's family tree. Apparently, Snape was the only child of Maximilian and Natasha Snape. Maximilian's birth date made him a lot older than his wife Natasha, but they both had the same date of death, August 20, 1968. Hermione figured they must have died together somehow.

"This is weird," Parvati said pointing at the parchment. "It says here that Snape became a Potion Apprentice at only sixteen. He got his Mastership when he was only nineteen. I always thought apprenticeships were for at least four years."

"Normally they are, but the Master Wizard you're apprenticing under can send you for your Mastership test as soon as they think you're ready. Who was Snape's Master Wizard anyway?" Hermione asked.

Ginny scanned the contract for the answer. "Here it is. Nicholas Flamel."

"Really?" Hermione said sounding surprised.

"Yep, it says here Snape was the first apprentice Flamel had taken on in over a hundred years," Ginny answered.

Hermione knew she needed to read the contract thoroughly to find out as much as she could about Snape. But tonight she just didn't have the energy for it. The only thing she wanted to do now was crawl under her covers and forget this horrible day ever happened.

"I can't believe I have to lose my virginity to that mean slimy old shit," Hermione said, as she stretched out on her bed.

"You don't," Lavender said from the bed next to her.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"The contract doesn't say anything about you being a virgin on your wedding night. You could get in a bunch of shags before you have to marry Snape," Lavender answered.

Hermione hadn't thought of that. It was true she could have sex with someone before she married Snape, but who? Instantly a list of candidates started to run though her brain. Of course Ron and Harry were the first to come to mind. But they were her best friends and all three were going to be married in less than a month.

"Do you have anybody in mind?" Parvati asked.

"No, not yet. I have to think about it," Hermione answered.

"What about Ron?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know, Gin. It might get a bit uncomfortable afterwards, seeing how we're both about to get married." Hermione could see the touch of disappointment on Ginny's face. She knew Ginny secretly wanted her and Ron to get together. The one thing Ginny had always wanted was a sister. Hermione didn't think Pansy Parkinson was what Ginny had in mind.

"What about Draco Malfoy?" Lavender asked.

"EEEEWWWW," Hermione, Ginny and Parvati all said together.

"Why would you ever think I'd let that Sewer Slug touch me?" Hermione asked.

"Well, he is kind of attractive and charming when he wants to be. If it's only a one-shot deal, then why not a Slytherin?" Lavender asked.

"I would rather have sex with a corpse," Hermione said flatly.

"You know, I was thinking about losing my virginity this year too," Ginny suddenly said.

Hermione was pretty sure Ginny already had a certain somebody in mind. She had dated Dean Thomas briefly over the summer, but Hermione found one of Ginny's notebooks at Number Twelve with several pages full of her practicing writing the name Mrs. Harry Potter.

"You could never lose your virginity, Ginny. Your mother would kill you," Parvati said.

"I wouldn't exactly tell her, now would I?" Ginny answered.

"She'd know, they always know," Parvati said as a matter of fact.

"Not my mom," Lavender said. "She doesn't have a clue what I do here at Hogwarts."

"Neither does mine," Hermione said, knowing it was true. Her mother knew almost nothing about the Wizarding World.

"You guys really don't believe that, do you?" Parvati asked. All three girls nodded in agreement. Parvati just shook her head in disbelief, and then asked, "Did any of you get a new piece of jewelry from your moms over the summer?"

"Yeah," all three girls said together, then looked at each other in surprise.

"Hand them over," Parvati said holding out her hand.

Hermione took off the rose-shaped locket from around her neck. Ginny removed a gold bracelet and Lavender took off a set of pearl earrings. Parvati took out her wand and pointed it at all three pieces of jewelry she held in her hand and said, "_REVILUMUS_ _COVERTUS _" Hermione watched to see if anything would happen under Parvati's revealing charm. Suddenly a small red glow came from both her locket and Ginny's bracelet. One of Lavender's earrings also started glowing.

"What is it?" Ginny asked, while staring at her bracelet.

"It's a virtue charm," Parvati said, handing each girl her jewelry back. As soon as Hermione's locket touched her hand the glow turned from red to blue. Under closer inspection, the blue glow was coming from a small image of a unicorn on the back of her locket.

"How does it work?" Ginny asked.

"Well, your mothers will have a matching piece, usually a coin or a small statue of some kind. When the matching piece glows blue, your virtue is true and when it glows red you've been in somebody's bed," Parvati said with a smile.

"How did my mother get this? She's a Muggle, she doesn't know anything about magic," Hermione asked, sounding a bit baffled.

"I know how she got it," Ginny answered. "Your mom and mine owl each other all the time. This is just the kind of thing they would talk about."

"Parvati, my earring glowed red when you held it. Is there something you'd like to tell us?" Lavender asked. Parvati's cheeks quickly turned red. It was quite apparent to everybody in the room the girl did have a secret to share.

"Who?" Ginny asked.

Parvati sat up on the bed tucking her legs under her. "You have all got to swear you won't tell anyone, not even my sister," Parvati said.

"I swear," all three girls said together.

"Last year, after Dumbledore was gone and the twins were making Umbridge's life miserable. George asked me to help him place some fireworks up in the Astronomy Tower. Well, one thing led to another and we kind of started snogging in the tower about a week before he and Fred were caught. He told me that he would probably be leaving soon. So I decided to give him a good-bye present. One night we took some blankets up to the tower. That night he became a man and I became a woman," Parvati said with a slightly dreamy look in her eyes.

"How many times did youguysdo it?" Lavender asked with a silly grin on her face.

"Three times before he left, twice in the tower and once in the greenhouse," Parvati answered happily.

"Are you sure it was always with George? Even their mother can't tell them apart," Hermione asked.

"Yes I'm sure," Parvati said, sounding a bit insulted. "They may look identical with their clothes on, but they're not the same underneath."

"What do you mean?" Lavender asked.

"It's nothing too weird. George just has this cute little half-moon shaped scar next to his bellybutton," Parvati answered looking a little embarrassed. Ginny just let out a sigh and shook her head. "What is it?" Parvati asked.

"Parvati, you should know better than to get mixed up with my brothers. George was already a man when he took you to the tower. Mom caught them both coming out of a brothel in Knockturn Alley, when they were fifteen. And Fred is the one with the scar; he got it playing with Charlie's dragon tooth collection when he was ten."

Parvati looked absolutely furious. "Son of a bitch," she shouted as she hopped off the bed and ran to the bathroom. Once she opened the door, Parvati turned around and said, "Ginny, your brothers are all ASSHOLES!" Parvati then slammed the bathroom door shut. Hermione was thankful she still had the prefect's bathroom to use. She didn't think this one would be available for some time.

Next chapter coming soon.

Please let me know what you think. I'm getting into the part of the story where I really need your input. So please review for me.


	6. Enemies

Author's Notes:

Thanks everyone for reviewing. I loved each and everyone I got. You guys make writing this so much fun.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

This chapter has been beta'd by Nakhash Mekashefah.

The Power of the Quill.

The enemy of my enemy better stay the hell out of my way. J.R. Floyd.

Chapter 06. Enemies.

Thursday didn't look like it was going to be much better than Wednesday. Hermione's first class of the day was, of course, Potions. As Hermione made her way down to the dungeons, she wondered if Snape would take this opportunity to pay her back for everything she had said in Dumbledore's office or would he simply choose to ignore her? She was really hoping for the silent treatment.

When she reached the Potions classroom the Slytherins were already making their way inside. The Gryffindors always waited for the Slytherins to enter first, so they could take the seats in the back of the class. No one other than a Slytherin wanted to be that close to Snape.

Hermione noticed that Draco, Goyle and Crabbe hadn't followed the rest of the Slytherins into the classroom. They seemed to be waiting for something. The clamor of footsteps running in the corridor caught Hermione's attention. There, in all her former glory, was Pansy Parkinson.

Pansy slowed to a fast walk as she neared the classroom. She still held her head high as if nothing had changed. Unfortunately, this meant she never saw Crabbe stick his leg out to trip her. She landed facedown in the middle of the corridor with a loud _SPLAT_. Almost everyone in the corridor began to laugh, though Hermione failed to see the humor in what Crabbe had done.

"Better watch your step next time, Mudblood," Draco said as he placed his right foot in-between Pansy's shoulder blades and stepped down hard on her back. He continued to step over her and headed into the classroom. Both Goyle and Crabbe did the same. Pansy grimaced in pain as each boy used her as a stepping-stone.

Hermione was shocked that no one in the corridor, including herself, did anything but watch as Draco and his cronies physically humiliated a member of their own House. She had no real sympathy for Parkinson, but what Draco did was truly revolting to witness.

Pansy got up and quickly brushed herself off. She then continued on into the classroom as if nothing had happened. As she passed, Hermione noticed Pansy's shirt had gray porridge stains on the front and collar. Hermione didn't have a clue as to why Pansy was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday morning or why she hadn't used a simple cleaning charm on herself.

Hermione entered the classroom and took her usual seat next to Neville. Harry was at the table just to her right with his new Potion partner, Lavender Brown. Both Ron and Parvati had decided against taking Potions as one of their N.E.W.T-level courses. Hermione saw Pansy sitting in the extreme far-right front of the classroom at a table by herself. Millicent Bulstrode, who was normally paired with Parkinson, was now sitting at a table with Vincent Crabbe.

Seconds later, Professor Snape burst through the door in his normal overly dramatic fashion. He headed straight for the front of the class without making eye contact with anyone. Once he reached his desk he turned and gave the entire class an intimidating glare.

"Take out your texts and turn to chapter four," Snape said, with a menacing look on his face. There was a loud rumble in the classroom as everybody pulled their textbooks out their book-bags and dropped them on the tables with a thud. Snape stared at Pansy who continued to sit there without a book in front of her.

"Miss Parkinson, where is your textbook?" Snape asked.

"I don't know Professor," Pansy answered uncomfortably.

"You don't know?" Snape asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh…no, Sir. When I returned from the infirmary this morning, all my books were gone. Everything I owned was missing; my clothes, my trunk, even my bed. The only thing I found was this." Pansy pulled two small pieces of wood out of her robe pocket and paced them on the table in front of her. Hermione craned her neck to the side to get a better view of the objects. It became quickly apparent that she was looking at two halves of a broken wand. This seemed to explain why Pansy hadn't changed or cleaned her clothes yet.

Snape scanned the class with a suspicious look on his face. "Miss Bulstrode, you share the six year female dorm with Miss Parkinson. Would you care to enlighten me as to what happened to all Miss Parkinson possessions?" Snape asked.

"I have no idea, Professor," Millicent said, trying to sound innocent, but failing. "Me and the rest of my roommates spent most of last night in the Common Room by the fireplace. We spent the evening studying and watching the fire **_burrnnn_**," Millicent said, while looking at Pansy, with an evil smirk on her face, not even trying to look innocent this time. Even with all the Slytherins' backs to her, Hermione was pretty sure most of them had the same shit-eating grin on their faces.

Snape scanned the room with an irritated look. Apparently, he decided, he wasn't going to get anything close to the truth out of this bunch, and he wasn't about to air his house's dirty laundry in front of a group of Gryffindors. Finally he turned back to Pansy and said, "Miss Parkinson you will have to contact your parents and have them re-supply you with books, clothing, a wand, and whatever else you are missing."

From the distraught look on Pansy's face, Hermione guessed that Pansy had received the same letter as Ron from her parents. Hermione still couldn't bring herself to feel sorry for Parkinson. The girl had burnt far to many bridges with Hermione for her to care now.

Suddenly Neville, who had taken forever to dig his book out of his very messy book-bag, dropped it on the table in front of Hermione, sending up enough dust to make her sneeze loudly, (_HAATCHEW_.)

"Mr. Longbottom, Miss Granger, that will be ten points apiece from Gryffindor for disturbing the class," Snape said almost joyfully.

"You mean Mrs. Snape," Blaise Zabini said under his breath. A couple of the Slytherins chuckled at hearing his comment.

"MR. ZABINI, YOU ARE EXCUSED!" Snape roared from the front of the class.

"Excuse me, Sir?" Blaise said with a very mystified look on his face.

"You heard me Mr. Zabini. Get out of my sight before I take away points and add a detention to go along with your zero for the day," Snape said, sounding absolutely livid.

Not wanting to push his luck, Blaise quickly got up and started to put his textbook back in his bag. "Mr. Zabini you will loan Miss Parkinson your text for this class. I will make sure she returns it to you as soon as this period is over," Snape ordered. Blaise dropped his book on the table in front of Pansy and headed out of the room.

As soon as the door closed behind Blaise, Snape gave the class another glare and said, "I want you each to read through chapter four, "Brewing with Sealed Cauldrons". Monday, I will expect three feet of parchment on the proper use of sealed cauldrons." A few groans in the classroom brought Snape's anger back to a boil. "If I hear so much as another peep out of any of you before this period is over, I will have this entire class up in the owlery on your hands and knees scrubbing all of the owl droppings from the floor." After Snape's threat, you could hear a pin drop in the Potions classroom for the next fifty-five minutes.

As soon as the period ended, Hermione wasted little time making for the door. Once she entered the corridor, Hermione saw Blaise standing just outside the classroom, apparently waiting for Pansy to return his textbook. "Go ahead Harry, I'll catch up with you. I want to talk to Zabini for a second," she said. Harry was about to protest, but Hermione just shooed him away with a gesture of her hand as she walked over to Blaise. Harry continued down the corridor looking back with a worried expression.

"What do you want Granger?" Blaise asked, giving her a suspicious look.

"I want to know if you heard anything about Claudia yet?"

"Who?" Blaise said, looking a little confused.

"Your betrothed, _stupid_!" Hermione said sounding very annoyed.

"Oh her, no, I haven't heard anything from her yet. Why?" he asked.

"She left the country yesterday. Didn't you know that?"

"Really? She's gone?" Blaise asked, sounding very enthused.

"Try not to sound so disappointed, Zabini," Hermione said angrily to the dark-headed teenager.

"Come on Granger. Don't tell me you wouldn't be happy if Professor Snape disappeared off the face of the earth right about now?" Blaise asked.

Hermione couldn't answer that question. While she really didn't want to marry Snape, he was her safest choice at the moment. If he did disappear, she would probably be more worried than relieved. "Listen Blaise, Claudia's father was arrested yesterday after she left. The Ministry is holding him until she comes back and marries you."

"She'll probably be coming back then, won't she?" Blaise asked, sounding disappointed.

"Yes, she will," Hermione said, giving Blaise a very stern look. "And when she does return, I will expect you to act like a true gentleman around her, and not like the Slytherin you are. Just remember, she's a very close friend of mine and I'm a close friend of Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall; not to mention, I'll be married to your Head of House soon. So, if you don't want the next two years of your life to be a living hell, you will treat Claudia right."

Blaise raised one hand in a surrendering gesture and said, "You don't have to worry about me Granger. You know what my motto is to follow the path of least resistance."

"Be sure that it is Blaise. I'll be keeping an eye on you," Hermione said in a threatening tone.

"Hey Granger, there is just one thing I'd like to know?" Blaise asked with a serious look on his face.

"What?"

"Is it true women's boobs get bigger once they're pregnant," Blaise asked, looking almost hopeful.

"Zabini, you're disgusting. You know that?" Hermione said flatly.

"What?" Blaise asked, looking a little confused.

Just then, Pansy emerged as the last student to leave the Potions classroom. She headed straight for Blaise with his book in her hand. "Here," she said coldly, as she thrust the book at him. She didn't even look at Blaise; instead she stared right at Hermione with a murderous glare. As soon as he took the book from her she turned away and muttered "Gryffindor Bitch," under her breath as she headed down the corridor towards the main hall.

"What the hell's wrong with her?" Hermione asked. "She can't possibly blame me for her being a Muggle-born."

"Get a clue Granger. She's not mad at you because she found out she's a Mudblood." Hermione quickly shot Blaise an angry look. "Sorrreee, I meant Muggle-born," Blaise sarcastically corrected. "No, she's mad at you for marrying Snape."

"What?"

"Come on, Granger. Everybody knows Parkinson has had it bad for Professor Snape ever since her third year."

"Really?" she said, sounding surprised.

"Yeah, you know a couple years ago, she actually asked Professor Snape to the Yule Ball. When he turned her down you would have thought both her parents had just died. She was sulking around the Slytherin Common Room for a week. I think Draco only asked her to go with him to shut up all the crying."

This was all news to Hermione. She didn't think anyone was nuts enough to fall for Snape. She knew Pansy was thick, but to actually have a crush on Snape. The man wouldn't give a clock the time of day. Hermione just let out a sigh, knowing Pansy was just going to be another headache added onto this whole stupid Marriage Law confusion. Of course, with Pansy's whole world crumbling to pieces around her, Hermione would be the perfect person to blame now.

"You know, Blaise, you could try to be nice to Pansy. You're both in the same situation now," Hermione said.

"No way, Granger. That girl is trouble with a capital "T". There's a big difference between being forced to marry a Muggle-born and actually being a Muggle-born in Slytherin. Anyone getting too close to her is going to get burned," Blaise said very seriously.

"You Slytherins are all despicable, you know that? I bet you enjoyed it when they burned everything she owned last night," Hermione said accusingly.

"Of course I didn't enjoy it. They had that damn fire roaring away half the night. It had to be 90 degrees in Slytherin last night," Blaise answered. Hermione just couldn't believe how shallow this guy was.

"And you call yourself her friend. This is pretty sad even for a Slytherin," Hermione said in a condemning tone.

"I've never been her friend. She has always hung around with Millicent, Draco, and his two goons. Before this happened to her she wouldn't give me the time of day."

"Well, they're obviously not her friends anymore. If you won't be her friend then who will?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, Granger, and I really don't care. I plan to stay on the sidelines where it's safe and avoid this whole mess," Blaise answered.

"No wonder your parents gave you a girl's name, Blaise. You have no BALLS!" Hermione shouted, as she turned away from the Slytherin and stormed down the dungeon corridor.

"It's not a girl's name. It's like Terry, both can use it," Blaise shouted after her.

………………………………………………………

Harry entered the Main Hall with pretty much nothing to do. He had decided against taking Divination as a N.E.W.T-level class this year. This gave him a whole two extra hours a week to kill. He could use this time to start on Snape's essay or some other schoolwork he hadn't done yet. But, Harry felt it was unnatural to be doing schoolwork in the middle of the day. He just wished that Ron or Hermione had this period free as well. Harry feared he wasn't going to be seeing much of his friends this year, not with their different schedules and this new Marriage Law.

Harry considered going up to Dumbledore's office to see if the Headmaster was in. He still hadn't told Dumbledore that he, Ron and Hermione planned to go to Black Manor on Saturday evening. Harry really didn't need the Headmaster's permission to go. All sixth and seventh years were allowed to leave Hogwarts on the weekends as long as they were back by curfew. The Marriage Law also gave him permission to leave overnight to meet with his betrothed. Harry thought it was a good idea to tell Dumbledore, just in case it was a trap.

As Harry neared the main entrance to Hogwarts, he saw a large wizard in gold and black robes enter the school. He wondered if this could be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts, which Professor Dumbledore had mentioned. It only took Harry a moment to recognize the man; it was Marcus Flint. The last time he had seen Flint was just before the final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Back then Flint was a five-foot eleven, gangly eighteen-year-old teenager with very crooked teeth.

Now he was a six-foot-three man with very broad shoulders and lots of muscles. Gone was his trademark alligator grin and crew cut hair. Now he sported a prefect set of choppers and a long black mane tied in a ponytail. Harry wondered if a person could grow that big in only two years. He didn't know if there was a magical equivalent to steroids but if there were, Flint was definitely using.

"Is that you Potter?" Flint asked looking at Harry.

"Yes," Harry answered. "What are you doing here Flint?"

"Came to see the little woman, Potter. Mary Edgecam I think," Flint said while giving Harry a smile that he didn't really trust.

"It's Marietta Edgecombe," Harry corrected.

"You know her then?" Flint asked.

"A little. She's actually Cho Chang's best friend," he answered.

"That's good news. I don't remember Chang running around with any Ugo's. Just what does Edgecombe look like Potter?"

"She's five-five with light brown curly hair."

"Good looking?" Flint asked optimistically.

"She's all right," Harry answered. The truth was he never considered whether Marietta was good-looking or not, she was simply Cho's friend to him.

"Kind of a Plain-Jane is she?" Flint said. "That's all right. The really good-looking ones are usually more trouble than they're worth." Harry had to admit there was some truth in what Flint had said. His short romance with Cho had been a complete disaster.

"So Potter, what's been happening at the school since I left? I heard Dumbledore tried to stage some kind of uprising against the Ministry here last year."

"That's not true," Harry snapped back at Flint.

"I never said it was true, Potter. It's just what I heard," Flint said.

"Well it's a lie. Minister Fudge tried to take over Hogwarts and get rid of Professor Dumbledore. He didn't want Dumbledore telling people Voldemort had returned," Harry said. He was a little surprised that Flint didn't flinch at the sound of the Dark Lord's name. He noticed a lot of people were now using Voldemort's name. Even the 'Dailey Prophet' was starting to use "Voldemort" instead of "He-who-must-not-be-named", but never on the front-page, though.

"Fudge is just an old fool, Potter. Every Pureblood family knew the Dark Lord had returned the night Cedric died," Flint said.

"Yeah, well nobody but Dumbledore seemed to believe me, that's until I did that interview for the "Quibbler"," Harry said.

"You mean no one _admitted_ that they believed you until that interview. Both Fudge and the Dark Lord had nothing to gain from people believing your story. Now that it's all out in the open, the Ministry is checking everywhere for Death Eaters. Now they send an Auror by every two weeks to check the league players' arms for Dark Marks. Every Slytherin I know is starting to wear short-sleeve robes, so that they aren't accused of being one."

"Do you know any Death Eaters, Flint?" Harry asked, not really expecting a truthful answer from the Slytherin.

"Well, I've never actually seem anyone with the Dark Mark. But it wouldn't surprise me if some of the people my parents associated with were Death Eaters. They were very close to the Malfoys, Notts and Averys you know," Flint said.

"What about your parents, did you ever think that maybe your dad might be a Death Eater?" Harry asked, realizing this was starting to sound like an interrogation.

"What, you don't think I haven't checked?" Flint said with a smile. "It would be pretty bad for my career if someone in the family turned out to be a Death Eater. No, even though my dad is as Pureblood as they come, he has always pandered to both sides. I guarantee he wouldn't join the Death Eaters unless there was some real money in it for him.

"So, what's this I hear about you being kicked off the Quidditch team?" Flint asked, obviously trying to change the subject.

"Actually me, Fred, and George Weasley were banned for life after we beat up Draco Malfoy for insulting our parents after a game. But Dumbledore got the ban lifted, I'll be back on the team this year."

"Oh please don't mention that spoiled little fart to me. Accepting those damn brooms was the worst thing I ever did as captain. You know in the two years I played with Malfoy he only caught one bloody snitch, and that's including practices. He only caught that one because when he accidentally flew into it the snitch just happened to get stuck in his cloak," Flint said with a disgusted look on his face.

"'The Prophet' said that you're a Beater now. But I remember you playing Chaser." Harry asked.

"Potter, everybody and his brother wants to be a Professional Quidditch Chaser or Keeper, people think that's where all the action is. There's no way I could have made a professional team if I tried out for Chaser. Look at Wood, he was a great Keeper and he ended up as the third-string Keeper on the Cannons' reserve team. He has to work part- time at the Cleansweep factory testing brooms to make ends meet.

"The truth is, there's not a lot of really good Beaters and Seekers in the Pro league, Potter. Neither position is really a fan favorite. The fans love to boo at the Beaters and throw things at them when their favorite players are hit or interfered with. The Seekers aren't much more popular. The fans get really mad if the snitch is caught right away; remember, unlike the games here at Hogwarts, people pay to see the League games."

"Pro Seekers catching the snitch right away, that happens a lot?" Harry asked.

"It use to. The last couple of years the games have only averaged about forty minutes. It's mainly due to all of the super-fast brooms the Seekers are now using. This year the league has sped up the snitches to 120 percent. They're suppose to be un-catchable for the first hour of play."'

"The snitch slows down after an hour?" Harry asked.

"Of course, all snitches slow down. Didn't you know that, Potter?"

"No," Harry said.

"The Snitches normally start out at 100 percent. They drop 10 percent of their speed every hour, until they reach 50 percent. By then even I could catch one," Flint said.

"I never knew that," Harry said.

"That's because you always catch the bloody thing before it gets a chance to slow down," Flint said with a laugh. "I've always been pretty good with a bat and bludger, that's why I tried out for Beater. Lucky for me, both the Tornados Beaters were retiring this year."

"'The Prophet' said you've been doing really well. They say you might even get Rookie of the Year honors."

"That's because I found a whole new way to play the position," Flint said. "Most Beaters go after the Chasers to keep them from scoring. Not me. I go after the other Beaters right away, the crowd loves that. If I can knock out the other teams Beaters, my partner and I can control the bludgers for the rest of the game."

"It sound like it's working, the Tornados are undefeated this year," Harry said.

"It's been great Potter. We're only four games into the season and I've already racked up 29 broken bones, 7 concussions, and forced two player into early retirement due to injuries," Flint said proudly. "I just love the sound of bones cracking under the impact of a bludger." Harry had to agree, it did sound like Flint found his true calling.

"Don't worry Potter. As soon as you turn seventeen there will be plenty of teams showing up at your door wanting to sign you. I can guarantee the Tornados will be one."

"I really don't think I want to be a professional Quidditch player," Harry said.

"You have to, mate," Flint pleaded to Harry. "The fans are tired of all these foreign Seekers who think they are better than everyone else. They need a proper British Seeker to root for. What could possibly be more important than that?" Flint asked.

"Actually, I've decided to become a Auror for the Ministry," Harry answered.

Flint gave Harry a very strange look, as if Harry had told him that he wanted to be an astronaut and fly to Mars. "Potter, you do realize Fudge isn't going to let you get anywhere near the Ministry, not while he is still the Minister of Magic. The man fears you and Dumbledore more than he ever will the Dark Lord."

Harry was a little stunned by Flint's statement. Not just by the fact that it was true, but also because he hadn't thought of it before. All applications for Auror training have to be approved by the Head Minister's Office. There was no way in hell Fudge was ever going to approve Harry's application.

"Don't worry Potter, a star Quidditch player can get almost as much press as the Minister himself. Take me for example; three months ago nobody cared what I had to say. Now, everybody wants to know where I buy my clothes and what kind of cologne I wear," Flint said with a grin.

"You know Flint, for someone being forced to get married, you really don't seem to be that upset," Harry said.

"Are you kidding Potter? This Marriage Law was a true gift from heaven," Flint said.

"You can't be serious?" Harry asked, sounding a little confused.

"I am serious. Before this law, my family already had me betrothed to this German witch. I swear Potter, the woman had to be half mountain-troll, and that would be the better-looking half. I don't care what Edgecombe looks like; she has to be better than that chocolate-eating Water Buffalo I almost had to marry. Besides, having a nice teenage wife to shag between games doesn't sound too bad, does it?" Flint said with a slightly depraved looked on his face.

"Listen Flint, Marietta is barely seventeen years old. She's a very shy person. I doubt she's even had a boyfriend yet. You might want to take it easy with her," Harry said. He didn't know why, but he felt the need to protect Marietta almost like a father. It probably had something to do with the fact he had decided to forgive her and let her back into the D.A club.

"Don't worry Potter, she's not the first seventeen year old virgin I've had. Hell, she won't even be the first I've had this month," Flint said with an unpleasant grin on his face. For just a minute, Harry had forgotten he was talking to a Slytherin, but there it was. Flint might not be a Death Eater, but he was still capable of doing serious damage to Marietta.

"So, I hear you've been roped into marring Malfoy's sister. I didn't even know he had a sister," Flint said.

"He doesn't, I'm betrothed to his mom," Harry corrected.

"WAY TO GO POTTER!" Flint yelled, and then slapped Harry hard on the back, causing him to almost fall over.

"Flint, not even you can't think it's a good idea for me to marry Mrs. Malfoy," Harry said.

"Are you kidding, Potter? I would give up my best broom for just a half-an-hour with her," Flint stated. Harry just gave Flint a mystified look. "Listen Potter. A couple of summers ago Mr. Malfoy invited the whole Slytherin Quidditch team to come practice at Malfoy Manor, they have their own private pitch. One morning we were all in the main dining room having breakfast when Mrs. Malfoy came in. She looked like she was still wearing the clothes she slept in, but I doubt anybody looks that good just waking up. She had this peach- colored silk nightgown on with this thin white lace robe over the top. She kept the robe open in the front. When she bent over to pick up a copy of the morning paper by the window, facing east, the sunlight shined right though her silk nightgown. My imagination wasn't even close to the reality of what I saw. I got such a case of wood, I almost flipped the dining table over when I stood up."

"Looks aren't everything, Flint," Harry stated.

"No, but they make this whole marriage pill a lot easier to swallow," Flint said, confirming just how superficial he was. Harry believed he had had about as much company as he could stand from the Slytherin.

"Well Flint, I need to be getting back to Gryffindor Tower. I have a lot of schoolwork to catch up on," Harry said, trying to sound sincere.

"Alright Potter, I hope to see you on the pitch before too long," Flint said.

"We'll just have to see," Harry replied.

……………………………………………………………………….

Severus Snape entered the Staff Room to see that Dumbledore, McGonagall and the rest of the staff that was in the Order, were already there. He could have gotten there earlier but didn't want to have to socialize with anyone more than necessary.

"Now that Severus has finally decided to join us, we can begin," Dumbledore said, giving Severus a dissatisfied look. Severus wondered if the Headmaster realized his fatherly looks of disapproval stopped working on him when he was fifteen.

"As you all might have guessed, I called this impromptu meeting of the Order to discuss the actions we will need to take because of this new Marriage Law."

"And just what actions are those?" Severus rudely interrupted as he took the seat next to McGonagall.

"I'm glad to see your mood has improved since yesterday Severus," Dumbledore said with a smile. Severus just stared angrily back at him without comment.

"I want to discuss the actions the Order will need to take to insure no harm comes to those Muggle-born and Halfbloods that were chosen. I feel it's only a matter of time before there is a backlash against this law from the Pureblood families. I have already assigned members of the Order to keep an eye on those chosen. Most have had little, if any, contact with their Pureblood partners. I feel we may need to keep up this protection until all these marriage contracts are fulfilled."

"Albus, don't you think you're stretching the Order a bit thin?" Flitwick asked. "We may not be able to respond to the Dark Lord's next move if we are spread out all over Britain protecting these Muggle-borns."

"I'm afraid we have little choice in the matter. The Ministry is only concerned with the completion of these contracts, not with the safety of the participants. There are only six marriages outside of Hogwarts that I feel we need to keep an eye on. That should not be too much for the Order to handle," Dumbledore said.

"And what of the marriages inside of Hogwarts? Do you see any trouble there?" Professor Spout asked.

"I'm afraid so. It's the Flint and Zabini marriages that worry me most," Dumbledore answered.

"Why those Albus? I was under the impression Flint was grateful for being selected and Zabini always seemed to be one of the more tolerable ones of that Slytherin crowd," McGonagall asked.

"It is not Marcus and Blaise that concern me, Minerva," Dumbledore said. "It's their families. Both stand to lose a lot if their sons marry Muggle-borns. The Flint family, in particular, had to forfeit a very lucrative marriage contract they had arranged for Marcus. Since they're both the only heirs in their families, I don't' believe the families will disown them. But that doesn't mean they won't take out their anger on their sons' new brides.

"We can keep a close eye on Miss Edgecombe here at Hogwarts, and make sure a member of the staff accompanies her if she needs to leave the school. I had two members of the Order meet Miss Turnnage at the Muggle airport in London today when she returned. Miss Tonks has decided to do some under-cover work for the Ministry as a new employee for Flourish and Botts. This should allow her to keep an eye on Miss Turnnage without making the Ministry too suspicious."

"Albus, I am concerned about Miss Parkinson," McGonagall said. " She came to class without any of her textbooks. She said everything she owned has gone missing and someone had broken her wand. I don't believe it 's a good idea to have her stay in Slytherin anymore."

"I must agree with you Minerva," Dumbledore said. "Severus, you should go ahead and arrange new quarters for Miss Parkinson in the east wing. I will owl Ollivander's tomorrow for a replacement wand for Miss Parkinson. I received a notice from the Ministry today informing me that the Parkinson family has legally removed themselves as Miss Parkinson's legal guardians. The Ministry has also granted their request that Miss Parkinson not be allowed to continue using the Parkinson name."

"Douglas Parkinson is such an _arse!_" McGonagall stated.

"And just what am I suppose to call her Headmaster?" Severus asked.

"I suppose we could call her Miss Taylor, at least until she becomes Mrs. Weasley next month," Dumbledore answered.

"I doubt Miss Parkinson would appreciate being reminded of her true parentage. I think it would be best if we continued using Parkinson until her marriage. I doubt the Ministry will object as long as we don't put anything in writing with the name Pansy Parkinson on it," Snape said.

"You're probably right, Severus," Dumbledore said.

"Also, I have already informed Miss Parkinson that she will be spending the night in the infirmary once again. Tomorrow, I will have the house-elves prepare a room in the east wing for her," Snape said.

"Albus, do you see any trouble coming with Mr. Potter or Miss Granger's marriages?" Flitwick asked.

"I'm afraid I can't really predict the response Narcissa will have to this marriage. Unlike her two high-tempered sisters, she has always been a very calculating woman. I don't know if that is a good or bad thing at the moment," Dumbledore said. "As for Miss Granger, I believe we can trust she'll be safe in Severus' hands."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Headmaster. Lately, I have found myself looking though my undetectable poisons texts. Don't be surprised if the little Gryffindor pain-in-the-arse suddenly develops an incurable case of Elvin Red Flu," Snape said with an evil grin on his face.

"Severus Snape, Hermione Granger is one of the finest student to ever grace Hogwarts' halls," McGonagall said angrily. "I will expect you to treat her with the respect and kindness that a true treasure like her deserves."

"To quote your little bushy-haired prodigy, you can expect bats to fly out your arse for all I care," Snape said with a smirk. McGonagall quickly reached over and smacked him up side the head with her open hand.

"Severus, I should transform you into a house-elf," she said heatedly. "Maybe after a couple of weeks in the school kitchen you would learn some humility." Severus rubbed the back of his head as he glared at the old witch. He had felt the sting of her hand many times before, ever since he was ten. He wondered if she would ever start treating him as an adult.

"If you two are quite done, I have another matter to discuss," Dumbledore said sounding a little impatient. "Our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor will be arriving tomorrow. He would have arrived at the start of the week, but an illness delayed him."

Severus wondered whom the Headmaster had chosen this time. This year he didn't even attempt to apply for the position. He figured if the five previous D.A.D.A Professors didn't convince Dumbledore that he was the best man for the job, than nothing would. Now the Headmaster had apparently chosen a sickly old wizard to do a job he probably wasn't qualified for. He just hoped he wouldn't be wasting his time making medical potions to keep the old buzzard alive. Far too much of his spare time was already used up making Lupin's Wolfsbane potion. A disturbing thought crossed Severus' mind as he thought of Lupin. He realized that Monday had been the start of this month's full moon.

"Headmaster, this illness our new Professor suffers from, it wouldn't happen to have anything to do with the full moon?" Severus asked with a suspicious look on his face.

"Well as a matter of fact, it does," Dumbledore answered with a straight face.

Without another word, Severus simply got up out of his chair and left the room.

……………………………………………………….

Hermione entered the Great Hall for dinner by herself. Harry and Ron were still in the Gryffindor Common Room discussing new strategies for the upcoming Quidditch season. There was nothing that could drive her from a room faster than a discussion about a bunch of fools on brooms chasing after some flying balls.

She took the seat next to Ginny who was sorting though a plate of blueberry muffins, apparently hunting for the one with the most berries in it. "Why aren't you with Harry and Ron discussing the Quidditch team? Don't you plan on playing this year?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, I'm playing this year alright. I just don't want to be around when they decide who is going to be the new team captain," Ginny answered.

"Why not?"

"Because they'll try to make me chose between the two of them, and that's just a no-win situation." Ginny said.

"What about you? Why can't you be the new team captain?" Hermione asked.

"Me? You're joking right?"

"No, I'm serious Ginny. There's no reason it has to be only Ron or Harry. Neither of them has any more experience at captaining a team than you do. Besides, it would probably be best if neither were Captain. The one that doesn't get chosen will probably resent the other. Remember how Harry felt about Ron getting that prefect's badge. This could be ten times worse."

"I'll think about it," Ginny said with a reflective look on her face.

Hermione scanned the room as she began to make her plate. The staff table was almost deserted. 'Dumbledore must be having some kind of a meeting' she thought to herself. When she looked over at the Slytherin table, she observed that Parkinson was at the far end sitting alone. There was at least ten feet between her and the next Slytherin. The scene reminded Hermione of her first couple of months here at Hogwarts. She had been a pariah herself until that Halloween night when Ron and Harry rescued her from the mountain- troll. Soon, Pansy would have one thing in her favor. In less than a month she would have Ron to protect her from her enemies, and that was a lot more than she deserved.

Just as Hermione started to hunt for her own multi-berried muffin, the sound of someone choking filled the Great Hall. Hermione instantly looked back at the Slytherin table. Sure enough, Pansy was bent over her plate, trying to retch her guts out. Suddenly, a large clump of some kind of dark gray matter fell out of her mouth onto her plate with a loud splat. Pansy held both of her hands to her throat as she gulped air into her starved lungs.

"_A little too much Mud for the Mudblood I guess,_" Hermione heard one of the Slytherins say. The rest of the Slytherins continued to laugh hysterically. As soon as she caught her breath, Pansy picked up her dinner plate and threw it at the wall. The plate smashed into several pieces and fell to the floor. Pansy then got up out of her seat and started to storm out of the Great Hall. She suddenly came to a stop as she neared Hermione.

Hermione quickly spun around, not trusting to keep her back to the Slytherin.

"I bet you just think this is so funny, don't you Granger?" Pansy shouted with a furious look on her face.

"You didn't see me laughing, did you Parkinson?" Hermione spat back at her. "Don't take out your anger on me because your disgusting House is starting to treat you like you have always treated me."

"You think you're so damn perfect, don't you?" Pansy said with fire in her eyes. "You think just because Dumbledore and McGonagall kiss your arse that you're something special. You may fool those stupid Gryffindors but I know the truth. You're nothing but a filthy Mud…nothing but a filthy mmm….just a filthy mmm……..

"Is Mudblood the word you're groping for, Parkinson? Funny, I don't think it will have the same sting coming from you now," Hermione said, with a rather confident smile on her face. She wasn't about to let Pansy take her crappy day out on her.

"I am a Mudblood Parkinson. A Mudblood with two real parents who love and care for me, and will always be there for me. I'm not some piece of dirty street trash that's only on this earth because some pervert's condom broke sixteen years ago."

"YOU BITCH!" Pansy screamed. There was a quick flash of movement, and then Hermione felt a sharp sting on her left cheek. Pansy had struck her across the face with her open hand. When she reached up to feel her sore cheek, she felt something wet on the side of her face. When Hermione looked at her hand, it had a little blood on it. Pansy always wore this gaudy gold bracelet with little metal pink bunnies on it. The bracelet must have cut her face.

"YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT, PARKINSON!" Hermione shouted. She reached into her robes to get her wand. Hermione thought it was about time to test her new shrinking hex. Suddenly, Pansy lunged forward in an attack. Hermione had forgotten that she no longer had a wand. A physical assault was Pansy's only option.

Pansy immediately grabbed two handfuls of Hermione's hair. She quickly pinned her back against the table. Hermione grabbed two handfuls of blond locks herself, in an attempt to force Pansy off her. The sides of her scalp screamed in pain as both girls thrashed about on top of the table. Hermione was amazed at how strong Pansy was for her small size. Even though Hermione had a two-inch and ten pound weight advantage, she could not remove Pansy from on top of her. Suddenly Pansy let go of the left side of her head and reached over and picked up a large serving fork from a nearby tray. She then raised it over her head.

Before Hermione could let go of Pansy's hair and protect herself, there was a flash of red hair and both she and Pansy were knocked to the floor. Hermione soon realize that Ginny had leaped across the table at Pansy as soon as she saw her pick up the fork. Ginny now had Pansy's left arm pinned to the ground with her knee firmly pressed into her armpit. Hermione quickly grabbed hold of Pansy's right arm with both hands and forced it to the ground. Pansy continued to thrash around under the girls like a trapped wild animal. Hermione placed her knee on Pansy's right elbow so she could have her right hand free. She then brought her right arm up next to her head and closed her hand into a tight fist. She quickly lined herself up to throw a perfect straight right into Pansy's face. This was something she had dreamt of doing for nearly six years. "You're about to get your old nose back, bitch," Hermione yelled.

Just as she was about to fire her punch into Pansy's pretty new nose, Hermione felt a hand grab hold of her right elbow. "What in the name of Merlin do you think you are doing Miss Granger?" a very angry voice roared from behind her. Hermione turned to see the livid face of Professor McGonagall staring down at her.

Both she and Ginny quickly got to their feet, releasing Parkinson. Pansy shot to her feet, then ran at high speed from the Great Hall. "Miss Parkinson come back here," Professor McGonagall shouted, but it was already too late. Pansy had already disappeared down the corridor leading to the dungeons.

"Explain yourselves," McGonagall demanded.

"She attacked me, Professor. Parkinson was angry after her stupid housemates played a practical joke on her. They turned her food into mud, so she tried to take it out on me," Hermione said sincerely to her Head of House. She then noticed that there wasn't a single Slytherin left at their table.

"Hermione's telling the truth Professor. I had to grab Parkinson before she could stab Hermione with this fork," Ginny said then held up the serving fork.

"And you said nothing to provoke her?" McGonagall asked, with a suspicious look on her face. Both she and Ginny fell silent; Hermione didn't think it was a good idea to repeat what she had said to Parkinson. "I thought so," McGonagall said, giving the girls a disappointed look. "That will be twenty points apiece from Gryffindor, and you two will both report to Mr. Filch for detention after dinner. Make sure you leave your wands in your dorm room. You will not be needing them tonight," McGonagall said with a harsh tone to her voice.

"Professor, this isn't fair. She started it," Hermione said, trying to defend her actions.

"Then you should have reported her to a member of the staff, instead of provoking her further," McGonagall scolded.

"So she's just going to get away with it?" Ginny asked sounding very irritated.

"Do not concern yourself with Miss Parkinson, Miss Weasley. I will make sure Professor Snape deals with her appropriately," McGonagall said.

"That's the same thing as letting her off. Snape never does anything to punish his Slytherins," Ginny said angrily.

"Quiet, Miss Weasley. You're in enough trouble as it is. Don't make me add to your detention for disrespecting one of your Professors. Now, I suggest both of you finish your meals. I guarantee you'll both need your strength tonight," McGonagall said, giving them a stern look.

…………………………………………………………

Pansy continued to wander the school corridors; it had been ten minutes since she fled the Great Hall. She was still steaming about what had happen to her. That stupid smug look on Granger's face angered her every time she thought about it. "Little Miss fucking Perfect with her perfect fucking grades and her perfect fucking friends," Pansy said to herself as she made her way down the corridor.

Pansy couldn't believe how bad things had gotten in only two days. She'd lost her parents and everything she owned. No one in the school liked her anymore, and in less than a month she would be forced to marry into that family of redheaded vagabonds.

Pansy knew she wasn't put into Slytherin for nothing. She would get it back, everything that was taken from her; she would get it all back. The only trouble was figuring out how. Pansy realized she would need help. But who? All of her old friends thought she was nothing but a filthy Mudblood now. She needed to find someone who realized that she was a true Slytherin, even though she might be a Mudblood. She could prove that she had nothing to do with the Muggle world, unlike that disgusting Gryffindor who reveled in the fact that her parents were filthy Muggles.

Then it hit her, she could go to the one person that had been there for her, Professor Snape. This stupid law had trapped him as well. He would understand and, once he was on her side the rest of the Slytherins were bound to follow. He could also talk to her mom. Pansy knew it was her father's idea to disown her. Her mother would never turn her back on her. Pansy headed back towards the dungeons. She hoped to speak with Professor Snape before McGonagall got to him.

As she made her way about halfway down the corridor leading to the dungeon, the two torches on the corridor wall next to her went out. She stopped and looked both ways down the corridor, but didn't see anything. Suddenly, two more torches went out, then another two and another two. Now the corridor was pitch black. Pansy could barely make out the light at the end of the corridor. The sound of a door creaking open broke the silence. "Is anyone there?" she asked nervously, but no one responded. She was just about to call out again, when a hand clamped itself over her mouth. At the same time more hands grabbed her by the arms and wrists. She felt herself being lifted and carried through a doorway. She heard the sound of a door being slammed shut and locks being engaged. "_Lumos,_" a voice shouted and the room filled with light from the tip of someone wand. "Welcome, Mudblood," a cold sinister voice said.

…………………………………………………………………..


	7. Certainty and Shadows

Author's Notes:

WARNING, WARNING, WARNING 

THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS STRONG VIOLENT CONTENT.

The violation of a teenage girl is graphically written in this chapter. Please keep in mind that this is a ratedM story and may not be suitable for younger readers. If you are easily offended, please skip this chapter and wait for chapter eight.

Normally my chapters are filled with dark humor and dirty jokes. This chapter is serious. Humor will continue to be the driving factor in my story, but every now and then I will have to take the dark road. If I don't, I'll end up with a sitcom instead of a Harry Potter story.

Beta'd by Nakhash Mekashefah.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 07 Certainty and Shadows.

"Welcome, Mudblood," Draco said coldly, as the room filled with light from the tip of Goyle's wand. Pansy quickly spun around at the sound of his voice. Draco was disappointed to see the fear in her eyes lessen as she realized it was he, Goyle, and Crabbe that had pulled her into this room.

"What's going on, Draco?" she nervously asked.

Wanting to make sure she understood the situation she was in, Draco slapped her hard across the face with his right hand. "Shut up, you filthy Mudblood!" he shouted at her. Draco's own excitement grew as he saw the fear increase in her eyes once again.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, while holding a hand to her face as her eyes began to water.

Draco quickly slapped her again, but with his left hand this time, "I said shut up, Bitch!"

Pansy began to openly sob; each one of her new tears brought just a little more pleasure to Draco. He knew Pansy couldn't keep her mouth shut for very long, it wasn't in her nature. He wouldn't have to wait long for her to make the mistake of speaking again.

"Draco, I thought we were friends. We've known each other since we were five," she said in a desperate voice.

A loud _SMACK_ rang out in the small room as he struck her for the third time. "You were never my friend, Mudblood. You're just some disgusting piece of garbage sent to spy on us!" Draco shouted, as spittle flew from his mouth. Both Goyle and Crabbe were chuckling at the girl's ignorance. They both knew Pansy was never going to talk her way out of this room.

"Please, Draco. You know I didn't have any idea I was adopted. I have always been on your side; I have always been your friend," she frantically said.

_SMACK! _Goyle and Crabbe were almost bursting with laughter at the girl's continued stupidity. "Do you think I'm a fool, Mudblood?" Draco said angrily. "You knew you weren't one of us. You were probably reporting everything we said to that senile old fool."

"That's not true. You have always been able to trust me," she said anxiously. She actually braced herself this time for what she knew was coming. _SMACK!_

"So, it was just a coincidence that it was you who thought up the idea of the "Weasley is our King" badges. Every Slytherin wore those damn things for almost half a year. I bet you and your secret Gryffindor friends had quite a laugh about that after the Ravenclaw game. And now, by some great fluke, you just happen to be engaged to that very same Weasley," he said accusingly. Draco knew she really didn't have a clue she was a Mudblood until she heard that announcement. But, he wasn't going to let that little detail stop his fun. The Ministry had all but said they thought these Muggle-borns were better than him. He planned to show them just how wrong they were.

Just as she started to open her mouth to speak again, Draco gave her two hard preemptive slaps with each hand. The force of the two quick, unexpected blows caused her to stagger back a couple of steps. Draco closed the distance between them, keeping her within range. As soon as the shock of the two slaps wore off, Pansy stared straight back at Draco. This time the fear in her eyes was replaced by a hot anger. She had apparently realized that they really weren't interested in what she had to say. This was all about whipping the dog.

Draco knew she had a violent temper. The scene with Granger in the Great Hall at dinner confirmed that. Still, he wasn't worried. The girl was only five-foot-two and ninety pounds soaking wet. Without a wand, there was nothing she could do against three, nearly full-grown, wizards.

"You think you're so damn bloody special don't you?" she shouted at Draco. He didn't strike her this time for speaking. He wanted Pansy to continue digging her own grave. "The truth is you're the real disgrace to the Slytherin name, not me. Every time you've tried to compete with Potter, you have fallen straight on your arse, always embarrassing the rest of the House. You will never be as good as Potter, so you should just stop trying. Look at that idiot father of yours; he couldn't even beat Neville Longbottom in a duel. It's no wonder your whole family is such a joke," she said heatedly, with a defiant look on her face.

Draco felt his anger explode inside him. He had expected her to insult him, but to say that about his father… His rage boiled passed the point of no return. Pansy braced herself once again for the strikes from Draco's open hand that would surely come.

She was taken completely by surprise when instead of a slap; Draco fired a vicious straight-right punch into her face. The force of the blow sent her flying backwards off her feet. She landed hard on her back as she hit the stone floor. Her eyes instantly glazed over and blood began to flow from both her nostrils. Draco, full of fury, rushed at her. He grabbed hold of her green and silver necktie with his left hand and lifted her head off the floor. With his right fist, he began to slam punch after punch into the left side of her face.

"_DON'T-YOU-EVER-SPEAK-ABOUT-MY-FATHER-THAT-WAY-YOU-FUCKING-MUDBLOOD."_ Each word was accentuated by another punch. He finally stopped after about a dozen punches. He released Pansy's tie, letting her head bang against the stone floor.

Draco stood up to admire his work. Pansy was lying almost perfectly still on the cold stone floor. Barely conscious, she let out a low hissing moan. "_Ooooouuuuummmmmmmmmm."_ Blood was flowing freely from a large wound above her left eyebrow and from both of her split-opened lips.

Adrenalin was running rampant through his system. The sight of her blood only excited him more. He turned to look at his companions. Both were in mild shock at how quickly the violence had escalated. "Hold her down," he ordered. "_NOW!_" He shouted to get Goyle and Crabbe moving.

Crabbe and Goyle kneeled down next to Pansy, one on each side. They each trapped one of her arms under them. They both placed a hand on one of her shoulders and a hand on her hips, making sure she couldn't move. Draco then kicked both of her legs apart and dropped to his knees between them. He reached under her skirt and began to pull her knickers down. Just as he pulled one of her feet through her underwear, she realized what he was about to do. "_NOOOO!_" Pansy screamed, then began to kick and thrash for all she was worth. But, with two, 200-plus pound wizards holding her down, it made little difference.

Draco unfastened his belt and began to lower his trousers. "Draco you can't," Goyle said, with a worried look on his face. "She'll tell."

"Shut up, Goyle," Draco said, with venom in his voice. He leaned forward until he was lying completely on top of her. "She won't say a word. Will you, Mudblood?" he said, as he stared down at her rapidly swelling face. He then reached over with his right hand and pulled back his robe's left sleeve, exposing his forearm. Even though her left eye had already swollen shut, Pansy's right eye grew large with fear at the sight of the Dark Mark.

"When did you get that?" Crabbe asked with amazement.

"It was a present from our Dark Lord on my sixteenth birthday. He said it was about time I joined my father by his side," Draco said with sick pride. Draco could see the fear that showed in Pansy's eye. "You see, Goyle, the Bitch knows that if she were to mess with us, she'd be as good as dead." He leaned down close to her ear to make sure she could hear him. "If anybody asks, Mudblood, you just tell them you fell down the stairs," he said with an evil smile.

Draco slid himself back down her body, repositioning himself between her legs, and then said, "If I can't have Potter's Mudblood, then I'll just have to have Weasel's." Once again, she began to thrash about trying to stop him from completing what he meant to do.

As he grabbed hold of both her legs and slightly lifted her off the floor, she started to scream.

"_PROFESSOR SNAPE, PROFESSOR SNAPE!_" Draco just laughed at the sound of her pleas. "Shout all you want, Mudblood. We placed a silencing charm on this room. No one is going to hear you. Besides, Snape already has a Mudblood of his own, now. He doesn't need you," Draco said, as he continued to laugh.

"_PROFESSOR SNAAAPE, PROFESSOR SNAAAAAPE,_" she continued to shriek. Draco grew quickly annoyed at the sound of her bellowing. He raised his right arm up in the air and slammed a punch down into her stomach. Her pleas for help were instantly replaced with an attack of choking coughs. Not waiting for her to regain her breath, he quickly forced himself into her unwilling body.

She let out an ear-piercing scream as her innocence was stolen from her. Draco was slightly surprised by her scream; he looked down to see her blood begin to flow. "Well boys, it seems that Pansy wasn't the slut we all thought she was," he said with a smile, as he continued to violate her savagely. "No more rides on the unicorns for you," he said, evilly mocking her. All the life-force seemed to have drained out of Pansy. She only rocked slightly with the impact of the continued invasion of her torn body.

After only a minute, Draco finished with a loud gasp. He stood, pulled up his trousers, and started to refasten his belt. "Either of you two want a go?" he asked Crabbe and Goyle. Both shook their heads as they released her and stood up.

"No sloppy seconds, huh? I guess I can't blame you, she is kind of a mess," Draco said sadistically. He watched as Pansy slowly reached down and pulled her light blue knickers back up so that she was no longer exposed.

He walked over and knelt beside her. He leaned down once again to make sure she could hear him. "Don't worry, Mudblood. Once you get yourself cleaned up, we'll be back again. You'll get the hang of this pretty soon. After all, being a whore is in your blood."

Suddenly, Pansy let out a deafening scream. "_BASTARD!_" With lightning speed, she slashed her hand across Draco's face, raking his skin under her fingernails.

Draco fell backwards in shock at what she had done. He quickly placed his hand on his left cheek to feel the wound. The blood began seeping though his fingers. He started to shake with fury and rage. Like a predator striking at its prey, he sprang at Pansy. Instantly, he began raining blow after blow down on her. Pansy instinctively curled up into a tight ball to protect herself. Draco continued to fire fists and elbows at her head and shoulders. After about twenty seconds, Pansy's body loosened and uncoiled, as she was knocked unconscious. Draco rolled her body over so he could strike at the parts he had missed.

Draco could feel the power in his fists as he slammed them into unprotected flesh. He had never felt more alive than he did right at that moment. Images from his early childhood began to run through his brain as he intensified his vicious assault. The image of a warm summer's day when he seven years old came to mind. He and Pansy were playing together in his family pool. He could still see the one-piece blue bathing suit she wore that day as they joyfully splashed water at each other. Instead of causing remorse, these images of Pansy only excited him more. His father had always told him it was more fun to torture someone that you knew. The more feeling you had for them, the greater the pleasure and the greater the reward.

Finally, near complete exhaustion, he stopped and fell backwards on his hands to catch his breath. After half a minute of deep breathing, Draco slowly rose to his feet. He held up his numb hands and looked at then. All of his knuckles were split open and bleeding, but he didn't care. A sudden calm ran through his body. He hadn't felt this peaceful in a very long time.

His anger returned quickly when he turned to face his companions. Both Goyle and Crabbe stood there with looks of absolute horror on their faces. They kept shifting their eyes from Draco to Pansy's pulverized body.

"What the hell are you two staring at?" Draco yelled, as his anger continued to grow. Neither Goyle nor Crabbe answered him. "Is that pity I see?" Draco cruelly asked. "Pity for this piece of shit?" he said, then turned and kicked Pansy in the left leg as hard as he could. Draco turned back around and stood, back straightened, in front of the two teenagers. "Listen you two dumb-asses. _THAT!_ is the enemy," he said, pointing back at the body on the floor behind him. "Mudbloods and Mudblood-lovers are already in control of this school. They control more than half the Ministry. If we don't do something about it, soon you will be asking a fucking Muggle what magic you can and can't do. Is that the kind of world you want to live in? _IS IT?_" Draco shouted.

"No," both boys said weakly. "Good, because the Dark Lord will never let that happen," Draco said confidently. He then reached out and grabbed both boys by the fronts of their robes and pulled them close. "Listen you two, there is a war coming, a war that will wash away the stink of Mudbloods and Muggles. So, you better decide what side you want to be on. Because anyone that doesn't serve our Lord to the best of their abilities will wish they had died along with the rest of the filth," Draco said, as he continued to stare at each boy with his cold gray eyes. At only five-foot-ten and 145 pounds, physically he was no match for either Goyle or Crabbe. But mentally and ruthlessly he was their Goliath.

Draco released them both, then took a step back and started to straighten his robes in an attempt to calm himself. Looking at the two in a less agitated mood, he said, "I want you two to pick up this piece of shit and take her up to the Astronomy Tower. Use the secret passageways. Once you get up there, throw her down the stairs. We want her story to be believable," he said in a wicked tone of voice.

"But Draco, she's nearly dead. If we throw her down the stairs that will kill her for sure," Goyle worriedly said.

Draco quickly reached out and snatched hold of Goyle's tie. He violently pulled the boy close until they were nose to nose. "Then that will be just one less Mudblood to worry about, won't it?" he said coldly through his clenched teeth. "Now, you two get to it," he said as he released Goyle.

Crabbe and Goyle walked over to Pansy's still form. They reached down and took hold of her arms and lifted her easily off the floor. With their cargo secured, they headed for the back of the room where the secret entrance lay. "_STOP!_" Draco shouted, as Crabbe was about to open the entrance with his wand. Draco walked up to them and stood in front of the limp figure. He then bent down on one knee, reached under her skirt, and pulled her knickers back off. He stood up, holding his trophy in his right hand, and sneered, "Something to remember the occasion by."

……………………………………………………………………………….

Hermione set the bucket of soapy water down next to the four suits of armor that lined the fifth floor corridor. Ginny dropped the brushes, mops, and rags next to the bucket. Filch had decided it would be a good idea if they were to clean and mop the whole fifth floor west-wing corridor.

This was Hermione's second detention of the week. She was lucky on Tuesday; all she had to do was help Madam Pince in the library. The loss of forty points and two detentions were all caused by the same problem - Parkinson. Hermione didn't know what she would do the next time she saw the evil little blond. But, she had a feeling more detentions were in her near future.

Hermione unbuttoned her robe and pulled it over her head, she then removed her jumper and necktie. It was still early September and, while the nights were cool enough, you could still easily work up a good sweat. Ginny removed her robe and jumper as well. Both girls neatly folded up their clothing and set then off to the side where they wouldn't get dirty. As she set her them down she heard a loud thud echo through the hall. Hermione looked both ways down the corridor but didn't see anything.

"So where do you want to start?" Ginny asked.

Hermione quickly surveyed the hall before she answered. "I think it would be best to start with the suits of armor. After that we can do the Portraits, and then finally the floor, so we don't track footprints on it."

"Sounds like a plan," Ginny said, as she picked up a rag and brush. There were four suits of armor standing next to each other in a single rank. Hermione walked up to the far left one with a wet rag and brush in her hand. "I'll do these two and you do those two," Hermione said, and she started to use the brush to remove all of the cobwebs from the armor.

"Fine with me," Ginny answered, as she began to clean the far right suit of armor. "Hermione, do you think Snape is actually going to punish Pansy for the fight at dinner?" Ginny asked.

"No," Hermione said angrily.

"Me neither," Ginny said.

"She'll just lay some stupid sob-story on him, about how everything that happened was all my fault," she said, sounding very annoyed.

"I can't believe how off-her-rocker she has gotten. Do you think she would have actually stabbed you with that fork?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know if she would have gone for the heart or the throat, but, I think she was definitely going to try and pin me to that table," Hermione answered.

"I don't know 'Mione, she had the craziest look in her eyes. I think she might have been going for the kill," Ginny said seriously.

"I guess I was lucky that you were there to save my butt. Did I thank you for that yet Ginny?" she asked.

"No need to thank me. I'm always glad to help kick Slytherin arse," Ginny said with a smile.

Both girls worked in silence when Ginny finally asked, "So have you decided who it's going to be yet?"

"What do mean?" she asked, knowing perfectly well what Ginny meant.

"You know exactly what I mean, Granger. Who have you decided to give the golden ticket to?" Ginny asked, sounding a little annoyed.

"I haven't actually thought about it that much," which was a lie. Hermione hadn't gone five minutes without thinking about it. She sized up every adult male above the age of fifteen that she came across.

"Oh come on Hermione. You at least have to have a list of possibilities," Ginny said.

"Well they're a couple of people I have considered," Hermione answered.

"Who?" Ginny asked sounding a bit overly enthused.

"Well, there is Victor," Hermione said.

"Victor Krum? I thought he was in Romania," Ginny asked.

"No, he's sharing a flat in London with a teammate of his. He'll be there until Pro season ends in February," she answered. Hermione had really given the idea of asking Victor a lot of thought. She just didn't know if he could handle it being only a one-time thing.

"Who else?"

"Neville."

"Neville Longbottom? You've got to be joking," Ginny said.

"What's wrong with Neville? I think he's really sweet," Hermione said defensively.

"He's too sweet and far too nervous," Ginny answered. "He can't make a simple sleeping potion without blowing something up. Imagine what he'll do if he has to have sex for the first time."

"Probably faint as soon as I ask him," Hermione said. Both girls began to laugh. "Actually, Ginny, his confidence has gotten a lot better this year. I think facing those Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries has really helped him deal with what happened to his parents. I think he knows now that he can be brave if he wants to."

"Great. All you need is a Death Eater standing next to the bed and he will be ready to go," Ginny jokingly said. "Anyone else?" she asked.

"I was thinking about someone with a little more experience." Hermione hesitated a moment before answering, "I was thinking about Professor Lupin."

"REMUS LUPIN! REALLY?" Ginny shouted.

"Ssssssshhhhhh," Hermione said, trying to quiet Ginny before she let the entire school knew she was thinking of shagging a werewolf. "Yes, really. I have always admired Professor Lupin. Even under the worst circumstances he has always been able to look at things logically. I think he would understand why I might not want to be a virgin on my wedding night."

"I have always admired Lupin, too," Ginny said with an evil smile. "I have always admired that tight little backside he has."

"You're perverted, you know that Weasley?" Hermione replied.

"I bet old Snape would have a stroke if he found out that you slept with Lupin before him," Ginny said.

"That's another plus for Professor Lupin then," Hermione cheerily said.

"You know there is still Ron?" Ginny said with a hopeful look on her face.

"Ginny, I still don't think it would be a good idea. He's my best friend and I don't know if he could handle me marrying Snape right after I slept with him," Hermione said, trying to sound as diplomatic as she could.

"Come on Hermione, you have to. I saved your life tonight. You owe me one. I can't stand the thought of my little brother losing his virginity to that cow, Parkinson," Ginny said seriously.

"Ginny, Ron is both older and bigger than you. Just how is he your "little" brother?" she asked.

"Well, everybody always says that I'm much more mature than him. Since I don't have a little brother or sister, I decided to make Ron one." Hermione had to admit it. It sounded pretty logical.

"Tell you what Ginny. I won't make any promises, but I won't scratch him off the list yet," she said, hoping that would satisfy Ginny.

"Good. But let me know what you decide pretty quickly. I've got Luna waiting just in case you chicken out," Ginny said.

"WHAT! THAT SLUT?" Hermione shouted, before she could clamp her hand over her mouth.

"I knew it, I knew you had a thing for Ron," Ginny said with a gigantic grin on her face.

"I do not. I just…I just…oh shut up, Weasley," she angrily said.

Ginny continued to wear a grin as she cleaned her suit of armor. After another minute she said, "I noticed that Harry wasn't among any of your choices."

"That's because I wanted to get out of this corridor alive without being beaten to death by a mop handle," Hermione said mischievously. She thought it was about time Ginny started to sweat.

"Is it that obvious?" Ginny asked.

"I'm afraid so," Hermione answered. "Ginny, you're not really going to ask Harry, are you?"

"Why not? There's no reason why his first time has to be with someone he hates. I think it would be better for him if it was with someone who actually cares about him," Ginny said seriously. "He will only be married to that stuck-up, middle-aged bitch until she gives birth. After that, he'll be free again. There's nothing in the contract that says he has to be faithful. I won't mind being the other woman for a year."

Hermione could think of a couple of reason why this was still a bad idea. But, she decided, it would be best if Ginny figured it out on her own. She was surprised by her reaction to the knowledge that someone besides her might be after Ron. She knew there was nothing she could do about Pansy, but there was no way she was going to let Luna Lovegood have a go at Ron. Not until she decided whom she would pick, that is.

"Do you hear that?" Ginny said, as she stopped scrubbing.

"What?" Hermione asked, as she lowered her own brush.

"Listen, its some kind of scraping noise," Ginny said.

Hermione listened. The old castle made lots of strange noises at night; it was hard to identify any particular one. Then she heard it. It was coming from the far end of the corridor that led to the Astronomy Tower. When she looked down the hallway, she saw something moving slowly along the left side of the corridor.

"What is it?" Ginny said in a whisper.

"I don't know," Hermione answered. "We'll have to wait until it passes under a torch."

"HELLO!" Ginny shouted at whatever it was that was making its way toward them. The thing at the end of the corridor didn't answer.

About thirty yards away, it made its way under the first torch. Both girls gasped at the sight of the hideous creature.

"What is it?" Ginny asked again, with a look of disgust on her face.

Hermione studied the creature for a moment. It was small and had a basic human shape. The head was all swollen, distorted, and dripping blood from multiple wounds. It had sticky-looking dark red hair, as if someone has purposely poured a bottle of syrup on it. Both of its eyes were swollen shut and looked as if grapefruit halves were shoved under each eyelid, giving an almost insect-looking appearance to the head. The dragging of its useless left leg along the corridor floor caused the scraping noises. It was also cradling its left arm as if it were broken. With its right hand it continued to feel its way along the corridor wall as it slowly made its way toward them. Obviously blind, the ghoulish vision used the wall as a guide and to support itself on its one good leg.

"I believe that's a Blood Phantom," Hermione finally answered.

"A phantom? You mean like a ghost?" Ginny asked.

"A phantom is a lot different than a ghost, Ginny," Hermione said. "A ghost is a full spirit that can actually interact with you. A phantom is more a recording of a very bad event. It usually has something to do with someone's violent death. I heard that the Tower of London has more than a dozen phantoms in it."

"So, it won't respond to us at all?" Ginny asked, giving the creature a suspicious look.

"Nope. It may look solid, but you can walk right through it and it won't even notice," she answered.

"So this thing limps its way down the corridor every night?"

"No, not necessarily. There is a phantom in the dungeon that only shows up once a month. I think most phantoms only make an appearance on the anniversary of their death," Hermione said, trying to remember what her "Ghost and Ghouls" textbook had said.

"It looks like it's wearing a school robe. Do you think it was a student here?" Ginny asked.

"Maybe, but I haven't heard of any students dying at Hogwarts since Moaning Myrtle. If it is a student, it must be pretty old," Hermione said. "It came from the Astronomy Tower. There's an old story about a student that jumped off the Tower after he got his O.W.L.'s back."

"That thing looks way too messed up for just a drop off the Astronomy Tower. If it were wearing Quidditch gear, I'd say it had been hit by at least twenty bludgers," Ginny said, while giving the creature a look of pity.

"Phantoms are meant to draw your attention, so they're usually pretty exaggerated. I heard that Lady Jane Grey's phantom, at the Tower of London, is pretty gruesome, but she died of a quick chop to the neck," Hermione said, as she picked her brush back up and resumed scrubbing.

"So, what does your mom and dad think about you marrying Snape?" Ginny asked, as she returned to work on her own suit.

"I don't know yet. I only owled them about it last night," she answered.

"I guess you'll find out Saturday, then," Ginny said.

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione, sounding a bit puzzled.

"Oh, I guess you don't know," Ginny said.

"Know what, Ginny?" Hermione asked.

"I received a owl from my mum this morning. She's coming here Saturday to see Parkinson," Ginny said.

"So?" Hermione said anxiously

"So my mum kinda invited your parents to come along with her," Ginny said hesitantly.

"WHAT!" Hermione shouted.

"I told you, your mum and mine talk a lot. They're probably coming here to meet Snape," Ginny said.

"This is going to a complete disaster," Hermione said, while shaking her head. "With my dad's Irish temper and Snape's snotty sarcastic blather, they are going to kill each other."

"I'll put five galleons on your dad," Ginny playfully said.

"I just hope Dumbledore is there when they meet him," Hermione said. Unfortunately, the mention of the Headmaster caused the disturbing image of Mr. Saddlebag-arse to appear in her mind once again. She was relieved that it was happening a lot less today.

"That's disgusting," Ginny suddenly said.

"What?" Hermione asked, hoping she hadn't sent the image telepathically to Ginny.

"This suit of armor, it's disgusting. I think every first-year since the school was founded has wiped a booger on it. I swear, first-years are the most disgusting creatures on the planet," Ginny said, sounding annoyed.

"You're just saying that because you're a prefect now and you have to look after the little bastards. But I bet you wiped a nose-nugget on one of these suits when you were a first-year," Hermione said with a smirk.

"That different, I was being possessed by an evil force that year. I couldn't help myself," Ginny said with a smile. Hermione was glad to see Ginny could joke about what happened to her at Hogwarts her first year. For a long time she was very sensitive about Tom Riddle's diary and the Chamber of Secrets. She always seemed more embarrassed about it than afraid.

"Bloody hell, are we going to have to clean up after that stupid thing?" Ginny asked angrily.

"What thing?" Hermione asked.

"That damn phantom thing. It left a trail of blood on the wall and floor all the way back to the Tower."

"Ginny, phantoms don't really bleed. It's just an illusion."

"Well, this illusion is going to have us scrubbing and mopping for an extra couple of hours," Ginny said, putting her hand on her hips and looking very irritated.

Hermione turned around to look at the creature again. She knew the blood couldn't be real. The phantom had nearly reached them; it was turning the corner at the corridor junction that led to the main staircase ten feet away. Sure enough, there were bloody handprints and drag-marks all the way down the hall. Hermione looked back at the creature trying to find some kind of explanation.

Then she saw it . The shock of it felt like she had just plunged through the surface of a frozen lake into icy subzero water. Hanging from the creature's right wrist was a blood-covered, gold bracelet with little metal pink bunnies on it. "It can't be," Hermione said, as she dropped her brush and ran over to it.

Standing only a foot in front of it, Hermione could see now that the creature didn't have dark red hair, but blond hair that was soaked with blood. Reaching out gingerly, Hermione was afraid that her hands would just pass through it. Finally, she placed her hands on the beaten girl's shoulders and said, "Parkinson, is that you?"

"That's Pansy?" Ginny asked in shock, standing next to Hermione with a brush still in her hand.

"Look at the bracelet," Hermione said.

"My God! What happen to her?" Ginny asked with fear now in her voice.

Hermione tried to recognize something familiar in the girl's horribly beaten face, but there was nothing there. "Pansy, what happen to you?" Hermione shouted at the girl, not knowing if she was as deaf as she was blind. The girl slowly lifted her head as if she was trying to look Hermione in the eye. Instead of words she only made a low gurgling sound. Bubbles of bloody saliva leaked out of the left corner of her mouth. They also leaked out a large gash in her left cheek.

Suddenly the bubbles stopped and Pansy fell forward into Hermione's chest. Hermione grabbed her in a bear hug to keep her from falling to the floor. With Ginny holding her arms, she slowly lowered herself and Pansy to the floor. Looking up at Ginny she said, "Ginny, we need to get her some help right away."

"I'll be right back," and, without another word, Ginny dropped her brush and sprinted down the corridor at full speed.

Not wanting Pansy to suffocate, Hermione slowly turned her over until Pansy was face up. Pansy's head fell limply as if it were attached by string instead of muscle. Hermione carefully watched the girl's chest for any sign of rise and fall, but there were none. She placed two of her fingers on the side of Pansy's neck to try and feel a pulse. Every time she tried to press down, the blood on Pansy's neck would make her fingers slide off. Feeling frustrated, she placed her whole hand on the side of her neck. Pansy's skin felt like it had been dipped in ice water. She couldn't feel a pulse. She couldn't feel anything at all.

Hermione saw that the skin under the blood had a slight blue tint to it. Sadness suddenly gripped her, as she was rapidly beginning to fear that she was no longer cradling a live girl in her arms, but the body of a very dead one. "Pansy, PANSY!" she shouted, trying to find some sign of life, but there was none. Tears began to flow down her cheeks as the reality of the situation dawned on her. Without knowing it, she had witnessed the last painful breath of Pansy Parkinson's short life.

She started to cried for this girl that had hated and despised her for the last six years.

Hermione knew Pansy wasn't dead because of their differences, she was dead because of the one thing they had in common; they were both Muggle-born. All the hatred and all the insults meant nothing to her now. She would give anything just to see Pansy take another breath, because she knew this girl's fate could easily have been her own.

Somewhere in Hogwarts tonight, Pansy had met her end, alone, afraid, and without even a wand to protect herself. Hermione suddenly realized that she, too, was alone, afraid, and without a wand to protect herself. Pansy's killer or killers were probably still in the school. They could be just down the corridor in the Astronomy Tower where Pansy came from. Hermione started to listen carefully for any sign that someone else might be in the corridor with her. It was difficult to hear if anybody was approaching because she was beginning to shake and her teeth were starting to chatter as shock set in.

The sound of something tapping caught her attention. It was coming from behind her,

down the corridor that led to the main staircases. The same corridor Ginny had traveled only minutes earlier.

Hermione saw something move near the floor. It was Mrs. Norris running toward her.

She then realized that the tapping sound was the noise made by someone's footsteps running up the stairs. Ginny suddenly shot around the corner with Mr. Filch not far behind her.

Ginny reached Hermione a good thirty feet ahead of Mr. Filch. With tears in her eyes,

Hermione looked up at her and said in a broken voice, "Ginny, I thinks she dead." Ginny placed one hand over her mouth as her own tears began to fall. As soon as Filch reached them he bent down on one knee and said in a soft voice, "Give her to me child." He quickly scooped Pansy's body out of her arms and stood up. He then turned and said, "You two follow me to the infirmary."

Ginny reached down and grabbed hold of Hermione's arm, then helped her up. Seeing that she was still shaking, Ginny picked up their clothes and handed Hermione her robe. "Put this on," she said. They put their robes back on as they followed Mr. Filch, who was walking quickly toward the stairs.

Within minutes they arrived at the infirmary. Sitting at a small table at the far end of the empty hospital wing was Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey with cups of tea in their hands. Dropping their cups on the table, they both rushed forward to meet Mr. Filch.

"Put her here," Madam Pomfrey said, pointing to one of the beds. As gently as he could,

Filch laid Pansy's body on the bed. "What happened?" Pomfrey asked, as she ran her wand over the girl.

"We don't know," Ginny said. "We found her in the fifth floor corridor, she came out of the Astronomy Tower like this."

"Who is this?" Professor McGonagall asked, unable to recognize Pansy.

"It's Pansy Parkinson," Hermione answered, finally finding her own voice.

"She's in deep anemic shock," Pomfrey said. "Minerva, bring me the A-Positive blood potion I have in the Mediwitch cabinet." McGonagall raced out of the room and into Madam Pomfrey's office.

_ALIVE! _Hermione couldn't believe it; hearing that Pansy was still alive brought fresh tears to her eyes.

McGonagall quickly return with a bottle of dark red potion. Pomfrey took the potion from her, but, instead of trying to make Pansy drink it, or injecting her with it, Pomfrey pulled up Pansy's jumper and tore open her blouse. She then poured the potion directly onto her chest above her heart. The potion almost instantly disappeared through her skin and into her chest. Only seconds later the blue-gray skin on her chest started to turn pink.

"Minerva, I need you to find Severus. I will need all the A-Positive Potion he has in his stores if we are to have any chance of saving her," Pomfrey said. The look on her face was anything but positive. "I will try to close as many of these wounds as I can, but I will need that potion right away."

McGonagall turned to face Filch and said, "Argus, I need you to go find Hagrid. I want both of you to search the Astronomy Tower to see if there is anyone else hurt or if her attackers are still up there."

"Don't worry Professor, we'll find the bloody bastards that did this, mark my words," Mr. Filch said in a very cold voice, and then headed out of the infirmary.

"Come girls, follow me," McGonagall said, as she passed them and headed for the door. Both girls hurried after her. Before leaving the infirmary, Hermione looked back one last time at Pansy. Madam Pomfrey was still leaning over her with a small golden glow coming from the tip of her wand.

Professor McGonagall brought them to the Fat Lady's portrait at Gryffindor Tower. "Miss Weasley, Miss Granger, I want you to inform the rest of your housemates that no one is to leave Gryffindor tonight under any circumstances. I will be sealing the portrait as soon as you enter. Everyone will wait here until I return," McGonagall said, calmly as she could. But it was quite apparent to Hermione that her Professor was highly disturbed by tonight's events.

It was only about 8:45 when they entered the Gryffindor Common Room. There were nearly a dozen students in the room studying, talking, and playing games. Harry and Ron were at their usual spot by the fireplace, playing a game of chess. "You two are back early, don't tell us old Filch is going soft," Ron said as they approached.

When Harry looked up into Hermione's eyes he could tell something was wrong. "What happened?" he asked, with a look of concern on his face. Ron was also looking at her now with a worried expression.

"P..Parkinson," was all Hermione managed to say. Frowns instantly appeared on both boys' faces.

"What did she do," Ron said, sounding very angry.

"It's not like that, Ron," Ginny said.

"What's it like then?" he asked, still very agitated.

"Just shut up and listen for a minute," Ginny said to her brother. She stood up on one of the many padded footstools that littered the Common Room and said, "Everybody, listen up. Professor McGonagall has sealed the portrait. No one is to leave Gryffindor until she returns."

"Why?" Seamus Finnigan asked from across the room.

"A student was attacked tonight in the Astronomy Tower. Hagrid and Mr. Filch are now searching the school for her attackers," Ginny said.

"Who was attacked?" Neville asked anxiously.

"Pansy Parkinson," Ginny answered.

Hermione became sick to her stomach when she heard all the sighs of relief that it was just Pansy and not a real person who was attacked. Comments like, "Serves her right," and, "She got what she deserved," were thrown around the room. Hermione felt disgusted by the whole thing. What really bothered her was that she knew she would have said the same thing if she hadn't been in that corridor tonight.

"These people are unbelievable," Ginny said, sounding very annoyed as she hopped off the footstool.

"Gin, you can't expect anyone here to feel sorry for Parkinson. Not after everything she has said and done," Ron said seriously to his sister.

Ginny just glared at her brother. Finally, she said, "I would expect you to feel sorry for her, Ron. For Merlin's sake! You're going to marry her in less than a month."

"Just because I'm being forced to marry her doesn't mean I have to start feeling sorry for her. The rest of Slytherins may hate her, but that doesn't mean she stopped being one of them. To me she was born a Slytherin and she'll die a Slytherin," Ron said heatedly to Ginny.

"SHUT UP RON!" Hermione screamed at the redheaded boy.

Ron looked at her with shock on his face. "Hermione, you can't be serious. Pansy has treated you like dirt ever since she first laid eyes on you. Have you forgotten that she tried to stab you with a serving fork only two hour ago?" Ron said, trying to make her see his point of view.

"You just don't understand, Ron," she said, almost in a whisper as she turned her back to him. She stared at the fire trying to picture Pansy's face. Every time she tried to see the blond girl clearly in her mind, the image of the bloody phantom took its place. Hermione listened as the conversations quickly changed from Pansy to more pleasant topics.

After standing in front of the fireplace for a couple of minutes, Hermione began to feel hot and a little sweaty. She pulled her robe back off, folded it up, and placed it on the table next to her. Just as she started to sit down in the large chair next to the table, she heard loud gasps from some people in the room. Harry and Ron jumped to their feet, knocking over their chessboard. Everyone in the Common Room was staring at her.

"Merlin Hermione! Are you all right?" Harry asked, with a very worried look on his face.

"I'm fine Harry," she answered, confused by his question.

"Hermione, your blouse," Ginny said from the seat next to her.

Hermione looked down. The entire front of her blouse and skirt were soaked in blood. She quickly got up, grabbing her robe and holding it in front of her. Seeing the confused and worried looks still on Ron and Harry's faces she said, "Don't worry, it's not my blood."

"Is Parkinson going to be alright?" Harry asked.

"Madam Pomfrey said that if they can get enough blood back in her, she might have a chance," she answered in a soulful voice. "I'm going to go take a shower. Harry can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure Hermione, anything," he answered.

"I want to borrow your map," she asked.

"Hermione, you're not thinking of going out tonight, are you?" Harry asked with a note of concern.

"No Harry, I just want to check something," she answered.

"Sure thing Hermione, I'll send Ginny over with it when you're done with your shower," Harry said.

"Thanks Harry, I'll bring it back in the morning," she said, as she started for her dorm room.

Before she could leave, Ron placed a hand on her shoulder and, with an apologetic look,

said, "Hermione, I didn't know."

"Knowing makes all the difference doesn't it?" she said back to him, and then headed up stairs.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Next chapter coming soon.

As most of you see, this chapter is a lot different than all the others. I needed this chapter to get the story moving forward. I realize I will lose some reader because of its content. But, I felt this story needed to be more serious to work. The underlying theme of this story, and the Harry Potter books, is about people's hatreds and prejudices. This topic easily creates violence and tragedy and almost never peace and harmony.

Here's a quick question for my reviewers. What should I do with Parkinson? Should I just have Draco slit her throat to shut her up, just incase she decides to be brave enough to rat him. Or should I have Ron overcome his differences and hatred for Pansy and help her deal with what happened to her. Maybe get some revenge on Draco at the same time. There's nothing like a good ass-kicking to bring a couple together.

Please review and let me know what you think.


	8. Knowning

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

This chapter was beta'd by Nakhash Mekashefah.

I want to thank everyone who reveiwed the last chapter. That was a very hard chapter to write, but I'mhappy how it came out.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 08 Knowing.

Hermione sat down on the edge of her bed after her shower. She held Harry's Marauder's Map in her hands. She set the map down next to her and then brought both of her hands up in front of her face to look at them. She had heard stories about people unable to scrub the blood from their hands after a traumatic event. For Hermione the opposite was true. Only moments after stepping under a warm shower, all traces of Pansy's blood were gone. Everything disappeared down the drain as if it had never existed. Hermione felt guilty that she no longer had any physical evidence of what had happened in the fifth floor corridor. The house-elves had already taken away her soiled robes and clothes.

Lavender Brown was the only other person in the dorm room at the time. She was sitting at her desk brushing her hair. Hermione picked up the map, and then crawled to the middle of her four-poster bed for some privacy. Just as she was about to pull the curtains shut on her bed, she noticed her bedspread and one of her pillows was missing.

"Lav, do you know what happened to my bedspread and pillow?" Hermione asked.

"Nope, they were missing when I came in an hour ago. I figured the house elves must have taken them and haven't brought you clean ones yet," she answered.

Hermione didn't think that was really what had happened. In her six years at Hogwarts, she had never seen the elves get behind on their work. Right now, though, she had more important things on her mind than a missing bedspread. She finished closing her curtains and then lit the three candles in the holder above her bed. She laid the map in front of her, pointed her wand at it and whispered, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."

Hermione opened the map to where she could see the infirmary. There in the middle of the hospital wing was Madam Pomfrey, Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall. In between the three dots was one marked: _'P. Parkinson'_. Hermione could swear that Pansy's dot was a lot lighter than the other three. She felt a sense of relief at seeing Pansy on the map. She knew the map wouldn't show dead people. Hermione stared at it for it awhile. She watched Snape pacing back and forth in front of Pansy's bed. She wondered if he knew who had done this. She opened the map further to have a look at the Astronomy Tower. There were dots representing Mr. Filch, Hagrid and Fang moving around. Hermione noticed that Dumbledore was nowhere on the map.

Suddenly, one of the candles went out. Looking behind her, Hermione could see that the other candles were pretty low and would go out soon as well. She folded up the map and stuck it under her pillow. She climbed out of her bed and headed for the storage room to get some new candles. She pulled on the door but it wouldn't budge. "Lav, do you have any idea why the storage room is locked?" Hermione asked.

"No, I tried to get some shampoo out of there earlier, but it was locked. I tried everything to get it open, even my wand, nothing worked. I swear it's like someone magically locked it from the inside. Luckily I found an unopened bottle of shampoo on my desk," Lavender said sounding a bit bothered by it.

Hermione angrily gave the door handle one last yank, then headed back to her bed and lay down. First it was the missing bedspread and pillow, and now the storage room was locked for some reason. Hermione had already had one of the worst evenings of her life.

These stupid little things were starting to really annoy her. She simply wished she could go back and start the whole evening over.

"Of course!" Hermione shouted as she jumped out of bed. She raced to the front of her bed where her trunk sat. She threw the lid open, then reached into the hidden secret compartment and withdrew her Time Turner. She went back over the storage room door and knocked on it, three knocks, then two and finally three more. She then started to count down from thirty. Hermione climbed back on her bed and closed all the curtains. She picked up the map and put the Time Turner around her neck. When her counting reached zero, she gave the Time Turner two quick turns.

The room swirled around her for a few seconds then was still again. Hermione was now sitting on top of her fully made bed, with bedspread and both pillows. She hopped off the bed and checked to make sure she was alone in the room. She pulled her bedspread off and rolled it up, then she grabbed one of her pillows. With map, pillow and bedspread in her hands, she walked over to the supply closet. She opened the now unlocked door and stepped inside. She spread out the bedspread on the floor and placed the pillow on top. Just as Hermione was about to close the door she remembered something. She reached up and grabbed a bottle of shampoo off the shelf, and then she ran over to Lavender's desk and set it down.

Once she was back in the closet, she closed the door and put a locking charm on it. Hermione sat down in the middle of her bedspread with her pillow at her back. She set the map down in front her. She knew that there was no way to change what would happen to Pansy tonight, but she could at least find out just who was responsible.

She stared at the map trying to locate Parkinson. She and Ginny were just leaving the Great Hall on their way back to the dorm to drop off their wands. Hermione spotted the dot marked _'P. Parkinson'_ making its way down a corridor that led to the dungeons. Just to the left of the corridor on the map, there were two thin dotted lines, indicating a secret passageway.

Three dots moved quickly down this passageway from Pansy's left. Once they got about fifty feet in front of her, they enter a small room off the corridor from the backside. The dot marked _'D. Malfoy'_ moved quickly across the room to the corridor. Just as Pansy was about to reach the spot on the map that indicated the doorway with the _'D. Malfoy'_ in it, she began to slow down. Finally, she came to a complete stop right across the corridor from the small room. Hermione wondered why Pansy had stopped. If Draco called out to her, why hadn't she gone right to him or turned and run the other way?

Hermione watched as the other two dots marked _'V. Crabbe'_ and _'G. Goyle'_ joined Malfoy's dot in the doorway. She saw the three dots rush into the hallway and surround Pansy. All four dots moved as one back into the small room.

The sound of someone entering the dorm room broke her concentration on the map. "Stupid spoiled Slytherin brat. That blond-headed cow deserves to meet a very dark and bloody end. Preferably sooner than later."

Hermione was shocked by the words that were spoken on the other side of the closet door. She knew it was herself out there putting up her wand before heading to Mr. Filch's office. Huge waves of guilt flowed through her body as she heard a door slam after her other self had left the dorm room. "Bitch," Hermione said as she turned her concentration to the map once again.

Two more dots appeared on the map, one at either end of the hallway. At the dungeons-end was a dot marked _'S. Snape'_ and at the other end of the corridor was a dot marked _'A. Dumbledore'_. They both slowly made their way down the corridor towards each other. A quick movement in the room with the four dots caught her eye. Pansy's dot had suddenly shot backwards on the map. Draco's dot quickly moved over hers. A chill ran down Hermione's back as she realized the attack on Pansy had started.

A moment later, Draco's dot moved slightly away from Pansy's. Goyle and Crabbe's dots moved until one was on each side of her. Draco's dot moved up again until it was overlapping Pansy's once more. Meanwhile, Dumbledore and Snape's dots met up together in the corridor right outside the small room's door. 'There must be a silencing charm on the room,' she thought to herself. The dots in the corridor stayed stationary for about a minute, then they both started to move. Dumbledore's dot headed back in the direction of the school, while Snape's headed back towards the dungeons.

The Draco dot slowly moved away from Pansy, and then both Crabbe and Goyle's also moved away. After a few seconds, Draco's dot moved back to Pansy. Hermione watched as something strange happened. Draco's dot seemed to start vibrating. It was as if the map had trouble keeping up with his movements. A few minutes later, Draco's dot stopped vibrating and moved away from Pansy again. Hermione could definitely tell that Pansy's dot was now only half as dark as the other three in the room.

A short time later, Goyle and Crabbe moved over to Pansy. Then all three dots moved together toward the rear of the room. When they reached the spot on the map that indicated the entrance to the secret passageway, Draco moved to intercept them. A moment later they entered the passageway while Draco headed back across the room to the door that lead to corridor. Draco left the room and headed for the dungeons.

For the next ten minutes, Hermione watched as Crabbe and Goyle slowly made their way through the passageways with Pansy. Both Dumbledore and Snape had returned to their offices. Suddenly, Dumbledore was gone. From the position his dot was located before it disappeared, Hermione speculated that he had just used his fireplace to floo somewhere.

She watched as two other dots entered the fifth floor corridor. It was herself and Ginny. It took another couple of minutes for Crabbe and Goyle to reach the Astronomy Tower. Once there, they took Pansy to the staircase that leads to the fifth floor corridor. Pansy's dot began to rock back and forth between them. Hermione could almost hear Goyle say, 'On the count of three; ONE, TWO, THREEE!' Sure enough, Pansy's dot ricocheted, like a pinball, down the lines on the map indicating the stairs. Hermione realized that the loud thud she had heard echoing in the corridor was the sound of Pansy's body hitting the floor after Goyle and Crabbe had thrown her down the stairs.

For what seemed like an eternity, Hermione watched as Pansy's dot slowly made its way down the corridor. The dot grew lighter and lighter as it moved. By the time it reached her and Ginny, it was almost transparent. Once she saw herself and Ginny finally react to Pansy's presence, Hermione closed the map. There was no need to continue watching because she already knew what happened after that.

Hermione lay back on her pillow and got comfortable on top of the bedspread. She knew now that it was Draco, Crabbe and Goyle that had attacked Pansy. But what was she to do about it? The only reason she knew was because she used an illegal map and an unregistered Time Turner. She might not be able to tell Ministry Aurors anything, but she could still tell Dumbledore what she had seen. Hermione was determined that Draco, Crabbe and Goyle pay for what they had done. Not just for Pansy, but for her and every other Muggle-born witch as well. If she couldn't get Ministry or Muggle justice, than she would settle for good old-fashioned "Eye for an Eye" justice.

Hermione didn't know how long she lay there before she fell asleep. She was abruptly awakened by the sound of someone knocking on the door. Three knocks followed by two and then finally three more. She got up and started counting down from thirty. She gathered up her bedspread and pillow, and then put the map under her arm. As soon as she reached zero she removed the locking charm and opened the door.

Lavender turned around as soon as she heard the door open. "Did you just…. I mean didn't you…..I could have sworn you just…..," she said with a confused look on her face. "How did you get the door open?" she asked, still looking very puzzled.

"I just gave it a really hard yank. I remembered that I threw my bedspread in there just after dinner. The corner must have gotten stuck in the doorjamb, that why it wouldn't open," Hermione said.

"Why did you throw your pillow and bedspread in the storage closet?" she asked.

"I was really mad after the fight with Parkinson. I just needed to throw something," she answered.

Lavender continued to give her a suspicious look; she was a very bright girl and not easy to fool. But without an alternative explanation, she would have to accept Hermione's lame story at face value.

Still sleepy, Hermione climbed into her bed and pulled her bedspread over her. She continued to peek at the map about once ever hour. At about two in the morning, she was finally convinced that Pansy's dot was just as dark as everyone else around her. She pointed her wand at the map and said, "Mischief Managed."

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Ron entered the Great Hall late for breakfast. Harry had decided to stay in Gryffindor Tower with Hermione. Professor McGonagall had given Hermione and Ginny permission to eat their breakfast in the dorms. She also told them they would be allowed to skip their classes for the day, which of course, Hermione declined.

Ron would have stayed with them, but he was afraid Hermione would want him to go to the infirmary with her. He had been trying to avoid Pansy ever since their marriage announcement. He had never liked Parkinson, even before Hogwarts. While in primary school, she had treated him and Ginny like poor wizard trash. He knew, even as a Muggle-born, she would still treat him as a second-class citizen. He didn't want to give her any more opportunities to degrade him or his family, a least not until the wedding.

The attack had changed everything. If he went to see her now, would she blame him for what happened, maybe? Would the same thing have happened if she were betrothed to Neville? Somehow Ron didn't think so, or at least believed it wouldn't have been as bad.

After Hermione left the Common Room last night, Ginny told both he and Harry everything that had happened. She went into great detail about how bad Pansy looked. As mean and cruel as she been over the years, even Pansy didn't deserve to be beaten almost to death. Ron knew, sooner or later, he would have to go see her, but right now a strong sense of guilt was keeping him from doing that.

Ron took a seat between Neville and Seamus. He looked around at the rest of the students in the Hall. None of them seemed to be upset about what had happened last night. He wondered if they even knew. McGonagall didn't say anything when she opened the Portrait this morning, she simply said it was a private matter and shouldn't be discussed or gossiped about.

The staff table was once again nearly deserted, only Hagrid and Professor Vector were there. Hagrid didn't look his normally cheerful self. He seemed to be staring suspiciously at the Slytherin table. Ron, and most everybody else who knew about Pansy, had the same set of suspects in mind. Ron looked over at Draco, who seemed to be enjoying his breakfast without a care in the world. Just the sight of the platinum- haired Slytherin made his blood begin to boil.

After trying to cut a piece of sausage with his knife and fork, Draco grimaced and set down his utensils and began to rub the back of his right hand. Ron could see the small white marks that went across all of Draco's knuckles. He had played enough Quidditch with his older brothers and had used healing charms often enough to recognize the marks for what they were. A professional Mediwitch could heal a wound without leaving a scar, but most people ended up with the white marks on their skin for a least a day.

When Draco turned to talk to Goyle, Ron could see four more thin, white lines on the side of his face. 'The arrogant son of a bitch isn't even trying to hide the fact that it was him,' Ron thought to himself. He looked at both Crabbe and Goyle's hands. Neither had any marks on them. That just meant they didn't do the actual beating, but Ron would bet his broom that they were right there when Draco did it. Ron's hands began to shake with anger as he watched the Slytherin trio. When Draco began to laugh out loud at something Goyle said, Ron felt something in him snap.

Ron got up out of his seat and started walking down the length of the Gryffindor table. His anger continued to grow as he rounded his table and headed for the Slytherins. He stopped only three feet away from the blond-headed teenager. Both Crabbe and Goyle sprang out of their seats, ready for whatever move Ron made. With food still in his mouth, Draco turned to give Ron a contemptuous look. After swallowing his food he said, "Something bothering you Weasel?"

Ron glared down at the Slytherin pretty-boy. He wanted more than anything to ram his fist through the back of his skull. "Malfoy, you really didn't think I'd let you get away with it, did you?" Ron asked with a cold expression on his face.

"What are you on about, Weasel?" Draco asked with smug look on his face.

"What I'm on about are those marks on your hands and face," Ron said in an accusing tone.

"Oh, you mean these?" Draco said arrogantly as he looked at his hands. "I got these from a stray that wandered into Slytherin last night where it didn't belong. You see weasel, we only keep Purebreds in Slytherin, and I wasn't about to let some mongrel little pussy hang around and disgrace the rest." It took all of the self-control Ron had left to not jump Draco right then. "I don't see why you're so upset Weasel. You always wear shabby, worn, hand-me-down robes. All your books are used, and even your first wand use to belong to someone else. I almost admire how you can take someone else's garbage and make use of it. So why should your wife be any different, even if she is well used."

Ron continued to glare down at the blond Slytherin. He wasn't sure, but he thought Draco meant more than he let on when he talked about something being used. "I wonder about those scratches on your face, Malfoy. Three against one and she didn't even have a wand, yet she still fought back. I guess you were so pathetic you couldn't even scare an unarmed little girl."

Malfoy narrowed his eyes at Ron before saying, " I guarantee you that little stray was more scared than she has ever been in her life, Weasel. She saw true power last night, a power you will all see soon enough."

As cryptic as Draco was trying to be, Ron had a pretty good idea what Draco was talking about. He felt now was as good a time as any to see if his guess was right. "Why don't you show me this true power, Malfoy, right here right now," Ron daringly said. "Here, I'll make it easy for you," he said as reached into his robes and, with the tips of his fingers, pulled out his wand. Crabbe quickly pulled out his own wand and pointed it at Ron. Goyle moved up closer from behind, so close Ron could almost feel his breath on the back of his neck.

Ron gently set his wand down on the table between himself and Draco. It was two feet away from Ron, but only a foot away from the blond boy. "There we are Malfoy, all you have to do is reach out and take my wand and I'll be as helpless as she was," he said boldly. "But of course, you won't, you're too big a bloody coward to take on anyone that's not weaker than you."

An evil smile stretched its way across Draco's face. Just as Ron had hoped, Draco reached for the wand. Instead of reaching for the wand himself, Ron threw a powerful left hook into the wide-open left side of Draco's head. The blow caused Draco's head to crash down into his breakfast plate, shattering it. The wand flew out of his hand and rolled off the far side of the table. Ron quickly reached out and grabbed hold of Draco's left wrist with his left hand. With his right handhe pulled back Draco's sleeve exposing his forearm. For just a brief second he saw it. In a flash it was gone, but he had seen it, the Dark Mark.

Suddenly, Ron felt two tree trunk-like arms wrap themselves around him. Goyle had grabbed him in a powerful bear hug and pulled him away from Malfoy. Ron could see Crabbe aiming his wand, ready to throw a hex at him. He bent his knees and leaned forward, taking Goyle's great bulk on his back. Ron turned sideways just as Crabbe shouted, "_Stupefy!_" The hex struck Goyle in the side of his ribcage. Ron grabbed hold of the table so that he wasn't thrown from his feet as Goyle was torn off his back. After Goyle landed behind him, Ron turned back to face Crabbe.

Crabbe seemed to be slightly shocked by what he had done to Goyle. Ron looked down for something to shield himself from Crabbe's next curse. Draco was still leaning over the table with his left hand pressed to his eye where he had been struck by Ron's punch. With his right hand he was fishing in his robe pocket, apparently for his own wand. Ron reached down and grabbed a fist full of Draco's hair. He heard the most girlish scream ever as he pulled Draco to his feet by the hair.

Crabbe was once again training his wand on Ron. Just as Crabbe bellowed out his next stunning hex, Ron pulled Draco's head back so that it was between him and Crabbe. The hex struck Draco in the right ear and sent him flying down the Slytherin table until he slid off the end in a pile of breakfast dishes.

When Ron looked at his fist, he noticed it was still full of Draco's blond hair. At the end of the hair was a one and a half inch square piece of scalp. Looking up he could see that Crabbe was even more stunned by what he just done to Draco. Not, waiting for the Slytherin to gather his senses, he flung his 'Battle of the Little Big Horn' trophy at Crabbe. The chunk of hairy scalp landed right on the bridge of Crabbe nose. He started flailing at itas if it were a huge hairy-legged blond tarantula that had landed on his face. Seizing his chance, Ron rushed forward and hit Crabbe with a straight right to the face. Ron winced in pain after striking Crabbe's rock-hard face. Instead of falling down, Crabbe had merely taken a single step back and grabbed his nose. Ron quickly brought his foot back so that he could go for the one place all male's were vulnerable, no matter what their size.

Before Ron could throw his kick, he felt a large hand grab him by the back of the robe and lift him two feet in the air. "Oy then! Tha' will be enough outta yeh two," Hagrid angrily said. "Looks like yeh'll be spendin' detention wi' me in the Dark Fores', tonight."

"It wasn't my fault Professor Hagrid. Weasley came over and attacked us," Crabbe defensively said, as he too dangled from Hagrid's other arm.

"Tha's not wha' I saw, Mr. Crabbe. I believe I saw yeh hex two o' yer own housemates."

"That was accident, Professor," Crabbe innocently said.

"One I'd've believed, Mr. Crabbe, bu' two? No one'd be tha' daft," Hagrid challenged as he lowered both boys back to the floor. Crabbe didn't respond he just gave Ron a murderous look instead. The sound of moaning made everyone turn. Both Draco and Goyle were slowly getting to their feet. Draco had a large bloody spot centered in the back of his head.

Just as Goyle got his feet under him, Hagrid said, "Crabbe, since yer the one tha' did all o' this, I wants yeh ter take Malfoy 'n Goyle ter Professor Sprout in the Herbology classroom ter ge' checked out."

"Shouldn't I take them to Madam Pomfrey in the infirmary, Professor?" Crabbe asked.

"No!" Hagrid said shortly. " Madam Pomfrey has a very contagious studen' in there and has closed the infirmary until further notice. Spout'll be takin' care o' all studen' needs fer now."

"Yes Professor," Crabbe said, sounding guilty as he passed by Hagrid. He thenfinished helping Draco to his feet.

"Crabbe, yeh've forgot'en somethin'," Hagrid said, as he leaned down and picked up Draco's piece of scalp. Crabbe hesitantly took the piece of scalp and held it away from himself as if it truly were a deadly spider. Putting his arm around Draco, Crabbe and his two wounded companions limped their way out of the Great Hall.

"Wha' in Merlin's name is goin' on?" Hagrid asked, as he escorted Ron back to the Gryffindor table. "Firs' Harry, then Hermione, 'n now yeh, Ron. Three fights in three days, righ' here in the Grea' Hall. This isn' the Roman Coliseum yer know."

When they were far enough away from the Slytherin table, Ron leaned in and whispered, "Hagrid, he had the Mark."

"Who had the Mark?" Hagrid asked with wide eyes .

"Draco Malfoy," Ron answered, andthen picked his wand upoff the floor.

"Are yeh sure, Ron?" Hagrid asked seriously.

"I saw it with my own two eyes, Hagrid. It was on his left forearm, a skull with a snake just like the one we saw at the World Cup."

Before they reached the Gryffindor table, Hagrid stopped and said, "Lis'en Ron, I don' wants yeh ter be tellin' anyone abou' wha' yeh saw. It'd be bes' if we let Professor Dumbledore handle this."

"He was one who attacked Parkinson. He practically admitted it," Ron said, his voice sounding full of aggravation.

Hagrid gave him a look of concern. "Ron, I don' wants yeh, Harry or Hermione in any classes today wi' the Slytherins. At leas' not until I tell Dumbledore abou' the Mark," Hagrid said, still looking apprehensive.

"We only have Care of Magic Creatures with them today," Ron informed him.

"Tha's good. I believe I'll cancel tha' class 'cause of an unwanted nes' of Bog-Imps," Hagrid said with a wink.

"What about Pansy? We're not going to let him get away with it," Ron frustratingly asked.

"No, we're not goin' ter let'em get away wi' it. But we have ter let Dumbledore handle this. We jus' can' go attackin' people wi'out any proof, someone else could get hurt if we do," Hagrid answered. "Now, yeh go 'n finish yer breakfast, Ron. I'll go 'n see the Headmaster now." With that, Hagrid left Ron at the Gryffindor table and headed out of the Hall.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Next chapter coming soon.

Please let me know what you think.

For those of you that had read this story before and wonder why I putting it on now. This story and my whole account were canceled when a single person comp;ained about sexual content in chapter 19 of this story. didn't ask me to change anything, they simply took all my stories off their site without a word. I do not plan to edit this story for content. I will simply remove scene of sexual content and refer all readers to a different site that has the full story. I should have all 22 chapters back up on this site within a month.


	9. Revelations

Author's Notes:

Thanks again for the reviews; I couldn't write this story without them.

The main reason you can read thing chapter, without saying, "_What the fuck is that suppose to mean?_" Is because of the wonderful skills of Nakhash Makashefah who Beta'd this chapter for me. Lets all drop to our knee and worship her genus. Thank you, Pat.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 09 Revelations.

Harry had just finished his lunch and had an hour to kill now that Hagrid had canceled Care of Magic Creatures class. As he neared the school's main entrance, he saw a familiar face descending the stairs.

"Tonks!" Harry called out.

She smiled as she made her way over to him.

"Wotcher Harry, long time no see," she said cheerfully to him.

"Ah, Tonks - we just saw each other a week ago," Harry said.

"It's just a expression, Harry. Try not to take everything so literally," she said lightheartedly.

"Sorry," he replied sheepishly. "So, what brings you to Hogwarts, something to do with the old crowd?" Harry asked.

"No, no, nothing like that. Dumbledore called me here on Ministry business," she answered.

"What kind of Ministry business?" Harry asked curiously.

"Oh, nothing very interesting I'm afraid, just some boring old Auror stuff," she tentatively answered.

Harry wondered how Tonks had become such a good Auror and member of the Order, while still being such a rotten liar.

"Tonks, I already know about the attack on Parkinson," he said, giving her a knowing look.

"You do," she said, sounding a little surprised.

"Yeah, Hermione and Ginny found her. You really didn't think they wouldn't tell us, did you?" he asked.

"Us? Who else knows?" Tonks asked, with a worried expression on her face.

"Everybody in Gryffindor," he answered. "Probably everybody in the school, by now."

Tonks let out a sigh and said, "This is going to be more difficult than I thought."

"What's going to be difficult?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"Harry, any time an attack like this happens, the school is required to report it to the Ministry for investigation," she told him.

"You're going to investigate Parkinson's attack?" he asked.

"No Harry, I'm not," she said flatly. "I'm going to bury this attack so there isno investigation."

"Why?" he asked, sounding even more confused. "I've never liked Parkinson that much, but even she doesn't deserve what happened to her. Ginny said they beat her so bad you couldn't even recognize her."

"I know, Harry. I saw Parkinson when they brought her to the infirmary. She was about as bad as I've ever seen and I've seen some pretty bad things," Tonks said, in a now somber voice.

Looking a little perplexed, Harry said, "I didn't know you were in the infirmary last night. Neither Ginny nor Hermione mentioned it."

"Oh no, I got to Hogwarts only an hour ago, Harry. I saw what happened in a Pensieve with McGonagall's memory of last night in it. I can't blame her for wanting that memory out of her head," Tonks answered.

"If it was so bad, why stop the investigation?" he asked.

"Harry, this is just the kind of thing Fudge can exploit. If he could convince the Board of Governors that the students aren't safe inside Hogwarts, they would probably let him station a whole squad of Aurors right inside the castle. I can guarantee you, Fudge will hand pick every one of those Aurors himself; and student safety will be the last thing on their minds," she said, in a cautioning voice.

Harry shuddered at the thought of a dozen Dolores Umbridge's running around Hogwarts.

"But, how can you cover up an attack like this?" he asked. "Soon everyone will know."

"You would be surprised how easy it is to cover up an attack on a Muggle-born witch by a pureblood," she answered, with a sad look in her eyes.

Harry knew she was right; nobody would really care about what happened to Parkinson. She was both a Slytherin and a Muggle-born, the ultimate outsider. She could disappear off the face on the earth and no one would notice.

"You know it was Draco, don't you?" Harry asked.

"What?" she said, with another surprised look on her face.

"You said it wouldn't be hard to cover up an attack on a Muggle-born by a pureblood. How do you know it was a pureblood?"

"How do _you_ know, is the better question, Harry," she said, giving him a suspicious look.

"Hermione and Ron told me," he answered.

"And just how do they know?" she asked.

"I can't tell you how Hermione knows, but Ron heard it from Draco himself," Harry said.

"He admitted it?" Tonks asked, astonished.

"Kinda, he admitted it to Ron without actually admitting it - if you know what I mean," Harry said, trying to explain.

"He's a Slytherin, I know just what you mean, Harry," she said point-blank.

"So, how did you figure out it was Draco?" Harry asked.

"Let's just say he's a lot like his father," Tonks said shrewdly. "I recognized the Malfoy signature on this attack."

"Did Lucius attack Muggle-borns the same way?" he asked.

"Yes, he was always very hands-on according to Kingsley; of course that was before my time and the first fall of You-Know-Who. He usually never left anyone alive to testify against him. This must be Draco's first; he really was pretty sloppy."

"Is Parkinson going to testify against Draco?" Harry asked.

"No, it wouldn't do any good," Tonks answered solemnly. "The sad fact is, Harry, no one would believe her, at least not without another witness. She's a Muggle-born witch without any family or money. He could accuse her of attacking him and the wizard court would probably believe him."

"You know, as much as I love Hogwarts, sometimes the Wizarding world really _sucks_," Harry said, moodily.

"Don't worry Harry. The Order isn't about to let Malfoy get away with this," Tonks assured him.

"What are they going to do?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said simply. "But Dumbledore will think of something, he always does."

Her statement didn't comfort him as much as he would have hoped. The Order always seemed to be reacting to things, but was very slow and careful about attacking a problem head on. As soon as the first D.A club meeting was held, he would make sure Draco and his goons were the top priority.

"So, I hear you're joining the family soon, Harry," Tonks said with a large smile.

"Oh gods, please don't remind me," Harry said, sounding very depressed.

"Why not, Harry? Me and my mum think it's a great idea," Tonks said seriously.

"How come?" he asked.

"Because, silly, it means we're no longer going to be related to the Malfoys," she said gleefully. "Can I call you Uncle Harry from now on?" she asked mischievously.

"No, you can't," he said, as his face started to color. "You know I'm not the only who could be trapped by this law. I got the distinct impression from that Fitage character that you might be on their list."

"Oh, I know I'm on their list," she suddenly said. "I've already received two marriage contracts from the Ministry."

"Two, how is that possible?" Harry asked.

"After I arrested the first pureblood, for using dark magic, the Ministry had to send me another contract. I arrested the second guy last night, but haven't heard anything from the Ministry yet. I'm hoping they get the message and move on to easier prey," Tonks answered.

"How did you know they were using dark magic?" he asked.

"All the old pureblood families use dark magic, Harry. It's not a very well kept secret. We could round up more than half the wizard population if we really wanted to," she said, with a smirk on her face.

"Do you think you could do the same thing for me?" Harry asked, with a hopeful look in his eye.

"Afraid not Harry. I'm just a nobody, so I can get away with it. Fudge isn't going to let you out of that contract unless somebody dies. Besides, I think you and Aunt 'Cissa will make a lovely couple," she said lightheartedly.

"What do know about Mrs. Malfoy? I mean Miss Black," Harry asked.

"Not much, I only met her twice, and that was in court," Tonks answered.

"Court?" Harry asked curiously.

"Yeah, my mum and Lucius have been fighting over the Black estate ever since my grandparents disappeared."

"Your grandparents disappeared?" Harry repeated.

"Yep, they both disappeared on holiday about year after Draco was born." Tonks said scornfully. "Mum believes Lucius had something to do with it. He was just waiting until after Narcissa got pregnant."

"What does Narcissa getting pregnant have to do with it?" he asked.

"Because Lucius couldn't inherit unless he had a blood connection to the Black family. My grandfather's will said that everything was to be split equally among his three daughters; but of course, the will and everything else disappeared out of the family vault the same day they went missing. The only thing left of the Black Family fortune is the estates and their lands."

"Your mother thinks Lucius killed your grandparents and stole the family fortune, so he wouldn't have to share it with her and Bellatrix?' Harry stated.

"Yep, and he didn't stop there. Just before my grandparents were declared dead, Ministry Aurors started receiving anonymous tips about Bellatrix being a Death Eater. She couldn't inherit a thing if she were in Azkaban. We also think he tried to kill my mum on at least three different occasions," Tonks said, irritably.

"Why has it taken so long to settle the estate?" Harry asked.

"Because neither side is willing to budge. Lucius didn't want my mum or dad to have any part of the estate. And my mum didn't want the man who probably killed her parents to get his hands on their family home. It doesn't really matter now, my aunt was declared the sole hair to the Black bloodline, so everything is hers now."

"Do you think there is a chance that your grandparents disappeared on purpose?" Harry asked. "Maybe they were trying to get away from Voldemort, so they took everything out of the vault and secretly moved to another country."

Tonks just shook her sorrowfully and said, "No Harry. My grandmother use to wear this Black Widow pearl necklace; it was a one-of-a-kind family heirloom that she never took off. My mother found the necklace for sale in a Knockturn Alley shop about two years after her mother disappeared. After she bought it, my mum discovered that the necklace still had traces of her mother's blood on it."

"That sounds really horrible, Tonks," Harry said.

"It is, Harry. My mum and grandma were very close. Even after my grandfather disowned my mother for marrying a Muggle-born, grandma made sure he didn't cut her out of his will. My mother still blames herself for what happened to her parents and her sisters."

"How can she blame herself for that?" he asked.

"Because, after she married my dad, my grandfather rushed out and betrothed both his remaining daughters to the purest purebloods he could find: Malfoy and Lestrange. He might as well have gift-wrapped them both and sent them directly to the Dark Lord," she answered.

"I wonder if Narcissa is still working with the Death Eaters, now that Lucius is in prison," Harry said with concern.

"I really don't know, Harry, it's something we're just going to have to find out," Tonks said, returning Harry's concern. "When are you going to see her?" she asked.

"Tomorrow night. I'm taking Ron and Hermione with me," he answered.

"Just be careful Harry. Don't let her fool you; my mother always said that her little sister was wickedly smart, and not in a nice bookworm way either," she warned him.

"I'll keep that in mind," Harry said.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Hermione made her way down the corridor that led to the infirmary. After she'd owled him that morning, Dumbledore suggested that they meet there to discuss what she had seen on the Marauder's map. How he knew she planned to visit Pansy today, Hermione didn't have a clue.

When she reached the infirmary, two figures stood by the door waiting for her. One was Dumbledore and the second was, very unexpectedly, Remus Lupin. Hermione's face reddened at the sight of Lupin. He didn't know it, but he was on the top of her list of candidates for her cherry-picking contest.

"Mr. Lupin, what are you doing here?" she asked, with a smile.

"It's Professor Lupin now, Miss Granger," Lupin informed her. "I'm returning as your Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor this year."

"That's fantastic! Have you told Harry and Ron yet?" she cheerfully asked.

"No, the Headmaster will be making the announcement in the Great Hall at dinner," Remus answered.

As the smile slipped off her face, Hermione said, "I guess you've heard about what happened last night."

"Yes I have," Lupin said, with a sympathetic look in his amber eyes.

"I'm afraid I must asks that we discuss this matter inside the infirmary, where unwanted ears will not be listening," Dumbledore said, as he opened the infirmary door so that Hermione could enter.

As she made her way down the infirmary's long rows of beds, Hermione observed that the place was almost completely deserted. She saw only Madam Pomfrey standing next to a first or second year girl, examining her. It wasn't until she nearly reached Madam Pomfrey that Hermione realized the small blonde girl, sitting on the side of the bed in a plain white nightgown, was Pansy. She was amazed, not only at how different Pansy looked, but also by the fact that she didn't have a mark on her.

Ever since their first meeting on the Hogwarts Express, five years ago, Hermione had noticed that Pansy always wore an overly abundant amount of makeup on her face. She had always believed that Pansy did this to try to cover up the fact that she had a strange-looking nose. Pansy continued to paint her face, even after she had her nose fixed. Now Hermione understood that Pansy wasn't just trying to cover her pug nose but was also trying to look older. Without the makeup she looked at lease four years younger.

Along with her makeup, Pansy's long curly blonde locks were gone as well. She now had straight hair that had been cut to shoulder length. One of the more noticeable differences, to Hermione, was Pansy's large blue eyes. Before, every time Hermione had seen them, they were always squeezed half shut with a look of distain or anger; now Pansy wore no expression at all on her face. Hermione expected to see some kind of emotion: sadness, anger or even fear, but there was nothing. Pansy looked like a ninety-pound doll sitting on a shelf, waiting to be played with. Hermione had the irresistible urge to poke Pansy just to make sure she was alive. Only the sight of Pansy's first blink in nearly half a minute cured her of her compulsion.

"What is her condition, Poppy?" Dumbledore asked in a low voice, as they reached the front of the bed.

"Physically, she fine," the Mediwitch answered. "It was mostly broken bones and soft tissue damage. Fortunately, there wasn't too much damage to her internal organs. She'll still be sore for couple of days, but that's about it. Mentally, that's a whole different story."

"Has she said anything, Poppy?" Lupin asked, as he stared sympathetically at the small figure on the side of the bed.

"She spoke just once when she first regained consciousness. She said she fell down the stairs," Pomfrey answered.

"That's it?" Lupin asked, a little astonished.

"Just those five words: "_I fell down the stairs,_" and nothing more. No matter what we asked, she just stayed silent," Pomfrey said, with a discouraged look on her face.

"She didn't fall down the stairs," Hermione said rapidly, but just above a whisper so Pansy couldn't hear. "Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle grabbed her out of the corridor that leads to the dungeon. They took her into a small room off the corridor and attacked her. When they were done, Crabbe and Goyle took Pansy up to the Astronomy Tower through a secret passageway. Once they got her there, they threw her down the stairs leading to the fifth floor."

Three faces just stared at her in surprise.

"May I inquire just how you know this, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked, giving her a cagey look over the rims of his glasses.

Hermione had promised Harry that she would keep the map a secret, even from the school staff. But she wasn't naïve enough to believe that Dumbledore didn't already know all about the map, and whose possession it was in.

"I used the Marauder's Map and my Time Turner. I went back and watched the whole thing happen on the map," she informed the Headmaster, while still keeping her voice low.

"Miss Granger, I appreciate your concern for your fellow student, but I must ask that you not repeat what you said here, with anyone," Dumbledore said, with a worrisome look on his face.

"Why?" she asked.

"This information, in the wrong hands, can do a considerable amount of harm, not just to yourself and Miss Parkinson, but to all ofHogwarts," Dumbledore answered.

Just then, the infirmary door flew open and Professor Snape entered carrying a tray full of small bottles.

"Are those my replacement potions, Severus?" Madam Pomfrey asked, as Snape approached. "The poor girl nearly emptied out my whole Mediwitch cabinet last night."

Snape handed Pomfrey the tray and said, "This is everything except Madonna's Regret Potion. I won't be able to add the belladonna for another four hours. I will have a dozen doses ready by tomorrow morning."

Pomfrey took the tray from him and headed to her office.

"What is she doing here?" Snape asked angrily, as he sneered at Hermione.

"She's here on my behalf, Severus," Dumbledore answered. "She had some information about last night's events. I also thought it would be a good idea if someone visited with Miss Parkinson that wasn't a member of the staff," Dumbledore told Snape.

"What kind of information?" Snape asked, giving her a suspicious look.

"Well Severus, if you follow me to Madam Pomfrey's office, I will explain," the Headmaster said. "Miss Granger, will you be so kind as to keep Miss Parkinson company for a moment so that I may inform Professor Snape of what you told us here?"

"Yes, Professor," she answered.

Before heading to the Mediwitch's office, Dumbledore reached over to place a comforting hand on Pansy's shoulder. As soon as his fingers touched her, she jerked abruptly away, as if he had delivered a very painful electric shock. The Headmaster quickly withdrew his hand. Hermione could see the tragic look on Dumbledore's face. She wondered why Pansy would react that way; surely she knew the Headmaster would never hurt her.

Looking very sad, the Headmaster moved away from the bed and headed towards the office. Lupin tried to follow, but had to step around Snape, who was purposely ignoring his presence. Finally, breaking the disapproving glare he was throwing at her, Snape turned and followed the other two Professors into the office.

Hermione waited until Snape was about twenty-five feet away before muttering, "Butthead," in a low voice. Just after her comment, Snape slowed his pace for just a step or two and then sped back up. Hermione was sure that he had heard her.

After watching the three Professors enter Pomfrey's office and close the door behind them, Hermione turned her attention back to Pansy. She still had that utterly blank look on her face. Her expression hadn't changed, even during her reaction to Dumbledore's touch. It looked like Pansy was just staring at the bed next to the one she sitting on; but to Hermione it look as if she were staring at something a lot farther away than that bed.

Hermione felt the uncontrollable urge to say something but didn't have a clue what that should be. She thought about apologizing to Pansy but, the truth was, she really didn't have anything to apologize for. Still, for some unknown reason, she felt guilty about what had happened, even if she didn't know why. Hermione wished Parkinson would show some kind of emotion that would give her a better idea what was going on in her little blond head.

After a minute of standing at the head of Pansy's bed, Hermione finally decided to talk. She walked around the bed and sat down next to Parkinson, keeping three feet of safety in between them, just in case Pansy decides to become violent.

"Pansy, I know what really happened to you last night. I know it's not true that you fell down the stairs. I know it was Draco, Goyle, and Crabbe that attacked you in that room off the corridor, just before the dungeon," Hermione said, trying to sound sympathetic. She realized that this was the first time, with the exception of last night in the fifth floor corridor, that she had addressed Pansy by her giving name.

"Of course it's not true, Granger. Nothing has ever been true; it has all been just a bunch of lies," Pansy answered, in the hollowest sounding voice Hermione had ever heard.

She was really surprised that Pansy had answered her. She almost preferred it when she thought Pansy was catatonic. Parkinson's voice had always been full of emotion; to hear her sound so different gave Hermione the creeps.

"Draco will pay for what he did to you, Pansy," Hermione said, trying to reassure her.

"No he won't," Pansy said with the hollow voice, while still staring straight ahead. "No one is going to care what he did to a piece of filthy street-trash. You were right, Granger. I should have never been born."

Pansy's words bit into her. Hermione had not really meant any of what she had said last night. She was only trying to hurt Parkinson the same way she had been hurt herself so many times before. Now Hermione felt a terrible guilt; it was as if her words had condemned Pansy to her fate. Hermione tried to find something to say in response, but could think of nothing.

The sound of flapping wings interrupted Hermione's thought process. One of the plain brown owls that the school used had just flown through one of the open high windows at the end of the infirmary. Clutching a small package in its talons, the bird glided its way down the long rows of beds until it reached them. It dropped the small, pink box on the bed between them then flew back down the ward and out the window.

The box was only half the size of a shoebox. It was pink with a red ribbon tied around it. On the top was a card that said, "To P.P," in old English letters. Hermione regarded the package with some suspicion as she read the card. It gave no indication who had sent it.

"It's for you, Pansy," Hermione informed her.

Pansy didn't respond; she didn't even look over at the package.

"Would you like me to open it for you?" she asked.

Without turning her head or saying anything, Pansy reached over and pushed the small box toward Hermione. She took that as a yes. Hermione picked up the box and hopped off the bed. She moved across the ward and set the box on the bed opposite Pansy's. Hermione took out her wand and said, "_Reperi Arcanum Acutus_," a revealing charm that would show if there was anything magical or dangerous in the box.

Convinced it was safe, Hermione slowly untied the red ribbon bow on the top. After she had removed the ribbon, Hermione stood back and slowly lifted the box lid with the tip of her wand. Once open, she could see the box was packed with light pink wrapping paper. Still using the tip of her wand, Hermione unfolded the packing paper to see what was in the box. Inside, she saw three small pieces of glass, a folded piece of parchment, and some light blue cotton cloth underneath.

She removed the three small pieces of glass from the box, careful not to cut herself on them. Under closer examination, she discovered that they were pieces of a two-inch glass figurine. Fitting the pieces together revealed a unicorn. She had no idea why someone would send Pansy a broken unicorn. _'Maybe it was broken during delivery,'_ she thought to herself.

Hermione set the glass pieces aside and removed the piece of parchment from the box. She unfolded it and read the note. Hermione let out a gasp as she read the five words written in simple block letters, "_YOU'RE OUR WHORE NOW, BITCH._"

With a shaky hand, Hermione set the piece of parchment down and then removed the final object from the box. The light blue cloth turned out to be a pair of girl's knickers. As she unfolded the undergarment, she discovered that the crotch was covered in dried blood.

Hermione began to breathe quickly as the meaning of each object became clear to her. The unicorn was a symbol of virtue, or a girl's virginity. Someone smashed this figurine the same way they destroyed Pansy's virginity, and the bloody knickers were evidence of this. Most disturbing of all was the note, guaranteeing that they would do it again. Hermione recalled what Snape had said, when he first entered the ward, about the Madonna Regret potion still needing belladonna to be added. Belladonna was used in most Morning after potions. The only reason they would be out of it is if they had used the last on Pansy.

Hermione stared at the girl on the bed; suddenly, Pansy seemed even smaller then she had looked only a minute ago. Now she understood Pansy's reaction to being touched. It had never occurred to her that anything had happened beyond the beating. Hermione had thought that was as bad as it could get. Now she knew just how wrong she had been. Pansy had been violated in the worst possible way; no one can fully recover from that. Hermione realized that the person she knew as Pansy Parkinson was now gone forever.

Hermione would never have believed that another student could do this, not even Draco Malfoy. Just thinking about the blond-haired Slytherin made Hermione's stomach lurch. As Hermione pictured the horror that Pansy must have gone though, she suddenly felt her mouth fill with bile. As quickly as she could, Hermione snatched up a bedpan and violently vomited her lunch into it.

After what seemed like an hour, but was really only seconds, Hermione finished emptying the contents of her stomach into the pan. As soon as she set it down, it disappeared with a small pop and a second later a new clean bedpan took its place. Resting one hand on her stomach and breathing deeply, Hermione looked back over at Pansy.

This time Pansy was staring right back at her. Her eyes had the look of absolute sorrow in them now.

"You said you knew what happened. You said you knew," Pansy said, as tears began to roll down her cheeks.

Without saying another word, Pansy turned away from Hermione and continued to stare at the bed next to her.

Hermione threw the items back in the box. She picked it up and ran towards Pomfrey's office.

"THE SON OF A BITCH RAPED HER!" she shouted, as she almost crashed through the office door.

The four people in the room stared at her with surprise. Not waiting for anyone reply, Hermione walked over to Madam Pomfrey's desk and poured the items out of the box for all to see.

"The bastard just sent these to her by owl," Hermione said, thoroughly disgusted.

Lupin picked up the piece of parchment and read it. After only reading it once he handed it to Dumbledore. The Headmaster scanned it briefly before handing it to Snape. As Snape read the note, the other three in the room inspected the remaining objects on the desk.

After what seemed like an eternity without anyone saying anything, Hermione finally said, "Did you hear me? She was raped."

"Miss Granger, we were already aware of that," Madam Pomfrey told her, in a solemn voice. "I've been a Mediwitch for fifty years and have seen many terrible things. It was quite apparent to me that Miss Parkinson was the victim of a sexual assault as soon as Mr. Filch set her on that bed last night."

"What are you going to do about it?" she asked everyone in the room.

"That has yet to be decided, Miss Granger," Dumbledore answered.

"What do you mean? Shouldn't you at least call the Ministry's Aurors about this?" she asked.

"We believe that it would be best for everyone, especially Miss Parkinson, if the Ministry was not involved," the Headmaster said.

"You can't just let Draco get away with this," Hermione said, sounding very frustrated.

"What do you wish us to do, Granger? Just turn Malfoy over to the Ministry without so much as a shred of proof?" Snape sarcastically asked her.

"Get some proof. What about D.N.A?" she asked.

"D.N…what?" Pomfrey asked with a puzzled look on her face. Hermione then realize that talking to wizards about D.N.A was like talking to Eskimos about air-conditioners.

"Granger, all likelihood of Ministry justice for Miss Parkinson disappeared as soon as she told Madam Pomfrey she fell down the stairs. No matter what proof there is that points to Malfoy's guilt, the simple fact that she lied about what happened is all the doubt they need not to pursue charges against a pureblood," Snape informed her.

"So what are you going to do?" Hermione asked, as she placed her hands on her hips and gave Snape a contemptuous glare.

"As the Headmaster has already informed you, we have not made any decision on the matter as of yet. Frankly, I don't see how any of this is your concern, Miss Granger," Snape said harshly.

"Not my concern? ARE YOU INSANE?" she shouted. "A Muggle-born witch is raped because she's being forced to marry a pureblood, and that doesn't concern me? I have to spend seven hours a week with that sick S.O.B. Do any of you honestly believe that Draco wouldn't have preferred that it was me in that room, instead of her?"

"Hermione, please calm down," Remus said, as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "We will take care of Draco. But you're going to have to trust us to do it in our own time. I know you feel for that girl out there, we all do. But that can't change the fact that we need to be concerned about all the students' safety, and not just justice for one. I know it sounds cruel, and it is, but we can't let our feelings get in the way of what's best for Hogwarts and the rest of the Wizarding world."

"So, you're going to do nothing about Draco?" she asked, sounding even more frustrated.

"Nothing directly, for the time being," Dumbledore answered. "For now, we will be keeping a extra close eye on young Mr. Malfoy and his companions. We have already decided to remove Miss Parkinson from the Slytherin dorms and will rearrange her class schedule so that she is no longer in Mr. Malfoy's presence. He will be constantly observed to make certain he doesn't harm another student."

"I hope you don't mean this fool," Hermione said angrily, as she turned towards Professor Snape. "He has his head shoved half way down a caldron so much, he couldn't keep an eye on a mountain troll. Besides, he probably gave Malfoy a hundred house points for getting rid of the Mudblood that was in his precious house."

Snape shot forward, grabbing Hermione by the arms and pinning her to the wall. "YOU IGNORANT LITTLE SHIT!" he bellowed at her.

Suddenly Hermione felt very afraid, even with Dumbledore in the room. She knew it was a bad idea to take her anger out on Snape, but she felt so frustrated she just couldn't help herself.

"Let her go, Severus," Lupin ordered, as he pulled one of Snape's hands away from her.

Snape released her and turned on Lupin. "How dare you touch me, you filthy animal," he spat at Lupin.

"I believe we have had enough of you Slytherins attacking students, for now," Remus shouted back at Snape, clearly upset about the animal insult.

"Everyone, please calm yourselves!" Dumbledore said, in a raised voice.

Snape turned his back on Lupin and moved to the far corner of the room. No longer interested in what her Professors had to say, Hermione walked out of the office without a word and left as abruptly as she had entered. She ran down the full length of the infirmary, not even looking over at Pansy as she passed by.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The four people in the room stared at the door Hermione had just left by. No one seemed to know what to say.

Finally, it was Madam Pomfrey who spoke as she got up from behind her desk. "I need to finish my examination of Miss Parkinson. I hope that you three will behave yourselves. There are some very delicate instruments in this office; I would hate to have any of them broken in a scuffle," she said as she left the room.

As soon as the door closed behind Pomfrey, Snape spoke. "The girl is right. We should not wait to deal with Malfoy," he said in a cold voice.

"What would you suggest?" Dumbledore asked.

"Kill him," he answered simply.

Dumbledore knew this would be Severus's response. He had seen the rage in the Potions Master's eyes as he informed him of what had happen to the girl last night. He also knew that Severus would blame himself for what had happen.

"Severus, we are not assassins. The Order was formed to protect, not to harm. Whatever Mr. Malfoy has done, it does not justify his murder," Dumbledore said.

Snape turned to face the Headmaster. Albus could still see the rage boiling behind those dark eyes.

"He has taken the Mark. There is no turning back for him. Killing him now would be an act of mercy. The longer he wears the Mark, the more corrupted his soul will become. We may not be able to help him in this life, but we can save him from being damned in the next," Snape said, in a serious tone

"Severus, I refuse to give up on anyone while there is still hope. Remember, you also carry the Mark of the Dark Lord. If we had giving up on you, the Order would have lost one of its most valuable assets."

"Draco's situation is completely different than my own," Snape said, angrily. "He has embraced the dark magic that now flows within him, I never have."

"Still, you took the Mark willingly, Severus," Dumbledore said, coolly.

"My reasons for taking the Mark were as valid the day I received it as they are today," Snape said defensively. "The Order would not have stood a chance against the Dark Lord if I hadn't gained the knowledge we needed."

"I would never have asked you, or anyone, to make such a sacrifice," Dumbledore said sadly to the younger wizard.

"I know. That is why I never told you what I planned to do," Snape said flatly. "Draco is his father. He has already shown how vicious he has become. You know as well as I do that it's only a matter of time before he strikes at another Muggle-born."

"We cannot kill Malfoy, Severus," Lupin said. "If we did, it would bring the Ministry down upon us. Fudge is looking for any excuse to place Hogwarts under Ministry control. The murder of a prominent pureblood could do that."

"It would not be murder, Lupin. It could be something as simple as a Quidditch accident. Malfoy believes himself to be better on a broom than he actually is. A simple charm to a bludger and it will be quick and relatively painless," Snape said.

"Headmaster, you told me yourself, when you confronted the Dark Lord in the Ministry he had less than half the power he used to possess. That is why he hides now; he is afraid to take on you, or even Potter, until he has more strength. The only way he can act now is through his followers, most of which are in Azkaban now. He only has a handful left. We must deny him any more new recruits, if we can. The only real place for him to find new Death Eaters is Hogwarts. I doubt any older wizards will jeopardize their freedom to join him. The Mark can only be given willingly. Only the young and naïve would agree. Draco Malfoy is his gateway into this school. If we are to save others from his fate, we must act now."

"Severus, I fully realize the danger that Mr. Malfoy poses to the school. But, I am not willing to condone the killing of a sixteen-year-old boy. What would we do next? Kill whomever we suspected was in league with the Dark Lord? Soon there would be little difference between the Order and the Death Eaters," Dumbledore said.

"How can we win a war if we continue to be so impotent," Snape shouted, as he headed for the door. He slammed it behind him as he left.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

_Reperi Arcanum Acutus – _Discover a dangerous secret.

Next chapter coming soon.


	10. Memories

Author's Notes:

I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR REVIEWING. I love all your responces. Looking forward to reading more.

This chapter was masterly put together by my beta Nakhash Makashefah. Her skill and cleverness never cease to amaze me. I would recommend her as a beta, but I prefer to keep her all to myself.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 10. Memories.

As soon as Severus entered the small room, he could smell the scent of blood and sex still thick in the air. "_Lumos Projectus_," Snape said as he withdrew his wand from his robe. A small ball of light shot from the tip of his wand and hovered overhead. The evidence of what had happened here became easily apparent as light filled the room.

A large pool of blood was in the center of the floor. A set of bloody handprints was just to the right. Three distinct sets of bloody footprints littered the floor. Severus was amazed at the stupidity of the scene. He was sure that if he were to confront the three Slytherins now, they would all still be wearing the same bloody footwear they had used the previous evening. A half-trained Auror on his first day could make an airtight case against Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. Severus knew that really didn't make any difference. The hypocrisy and prejudice of the Wizarding World all but insulated purebloods like Malfoy from true justice.

Severus heard the door creek open behind him as another person entered the room. "What do you want, werewolf?" he asked with venom in his voice, still keeping his back to the other wizard. Remus closed the door after he entered the room. "Did the Headmaster send you here to make sure I didn't take matters into my own hands?" Snape contemptuously asked.

"No, not entirely," Remus answered. "Albus trusts you'll do the right thing. He only fears that your idea of what is right might differ from his own."

"That is undoubtedly true," Snape said as he turned to face Lupin. "So, what sort of trickery allowed you to regain your current position?"

"No deception was involved. I merely accepted the position when it was offered to me," Remus answered.

"Dumbledore simply asked you?" Snape asked, sounding annoyed.

"Yes, he has asked me every year, since I left, to return to Hogwarts. With Sirius now gone and the Ministry making it very difficult to find employment in the Wizarding World., I decided to take Albus up on his offer," Remus explained.

Giving his fellow professor a very contemptuous look, Snape asked, "You don't actually believe that you're more qualified for the Dark Arts position than me, do you?"

"You may have a greater knowledge of the Dark Arts, Severus, but I'm still well-qualified to teach the course," Remus answered, self-assuredly. "What I'm not qualified to do is teach Potions. Hogwarts is the only school of wizardry, which I know of, employing a fullPotions Master to teach the subject. I think the Headmaster believes that anything else would be a waste of your natural talents."

"Using flattery; how very un-Gryffindor of you, Lupin," Snape said in a sarcastic tone. "You should know by now such a ploy will never work on me."

"It's not a ploy, Severus. I simply wish that we not spend the entire year at each other's throats, once again. Recent events have shown Hogwarts isn't as safe as it once was. Only with all of us working together, without distractions, can we prevent this from happening again," Remus said as he looked down at the pool of blood on the floor.

"This will happen again; I can assure you of that. Especially if we do nothing to remove those from this castle who have already given their souls to the Dark Lord," Snape said in frustration.

"Draco is the only one we know of that has taken the Mark. It should not be beyond us to keep a proper eye on one teenage boy," Remus said.

"That is precisely why we need to act now while there is only one. How many will there be by the time Malfoy graduates two years from now? Goyle and Crabbe may be already too far gone to save; in two years there might be ten or more," Snape said bitterly. "If we continue to do nothing, we will be fighting a war against the very same children we now try to protect."

"Then we should remove him from Hogwarts," Lupin suggested. "It shouldn't be too difficult to figure out a way to get rid of one student without hisdeath being involved."

"Expulsion?" Snape asked.

"Why not? Draco's father is in prison and no longer has any influence with the Ministry. His mother has been removed from him. If we come up with something plausible, the Ministry shouldn't interfere on Malfoy's behalf," Remus answered.

"The Malfoy estate is still quite substantial. He could easily buy some powerful new friends in the Ministry. It will not be as easy as you think to remove him," Snape stated. "Of course, if he were to be expelled for something that can't be forgiven, not even by the Ministry, than it's possible we might be able to remove him."

"If he were caught doing Dark Magic, we could easily have him expelled," Remus said.

"Dark Magic - you can't be serious? More than half the students in Hogwarts try some form of it before they leave here. The Ministry regularly turns its back when wizards are caught performing Dark Magic; this will be no different. You need to stop thinking like a Gryffindor and start thinking like a Slytherin. You have to ask yourself 'what does the Ministry truly hate?'" Snape said with a malicious look on his face.

"And what would that be?" Remus asked.

"Muggles," Snape answered.

"Muggles! How will that help us get rid of Malfoy?" he asked.

"The worst crime a wizard can be accused of is giving, or selling, magical secrets to Muggles. If young Mr. Malfoy found himself in this position, it would very difficult for him to find friends in the Ministry. He would most certainly lose favor with the Dark Lord, as well," Snape said in a malevolent voice.

"You really can be quite the Slytherin sometimes, Snape," Remus warily said.

"I already told you, flattery will get you nowhere with me," Snape sarcastically said. He then bent down on one knee next to the pool of blood. With the tips of his longfingers, he plucked a small metal object out of the center of the pool. The cold, stone floor kept the blood wet and sticky even after nearly 24 hours. The small half-inch object was a gold-plated bunny. Snape recognized it as part of Pansy's bracelet.

"You don't think expulsion is enough?" Remus asked.

"Twenty-seven broken bones, loss of more than half her blood volume, raped and thrown away like a piece of garbage. No, expulsion seems scarcely adequate," Snape answered in frustration as images of the girl's broken body ran through his mind.

"We are not seeking justice, Severus. We are only trying to keep the innocent safe until we achieve victory against the Dark Lord," Remus said. "Justice must come later."

"You're beginning to sound like Dumbledore," Snape stated.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Remus said with a slight smile.

"Don't, it was not meant as one," Snape affirmed. He rubbed the small golden bunny between his fingers, trying to remove the blood. "I have known this child since she was only two years old. Her mother had contacted me personally about a potion for her daughter. As a toddler, Pansy had somehow gotten into her father's hidden supply of pure Hellebore powder. She had a severe rash from head to toe. Her father didn't want to explain to a Mediwitch how his daughter came in contact with an illegal control-substance. So, he had his wife consult me for a remedy. I spent three weeks working on an antidote and couldn't get the feisty little brat to drink a drop of it. It took three of us to hold her down so that I could pinch her little snout-like nose shut and force her to drink," Snape cheerlessly said. "She has always been a very spirited child; that's why I chose her as Prefect. I knew she could contend with the other three houses' prefects. She has rarely ever backed down or shown fear.

"Now she is nothing but an empty shell, just a ghost image of herself; no fight or fire remains. I doubt she will ever be anywhere near what she once was or could have been," he said in a solemn voice.

"Have you not known Draco even longer?" Remus asked.

"Yes. The day after he was born, Lucius threw a large ball at Malfoy Manor to introduce his son to the Wizarding World," Snape answered.

"You made him a Prefect, as well. It seems to me you have equal sentiments for both. Do you not wish to see both of them reach their true potential? " Remus asked.

"No, they are not the same. Pansy had her innocence torn from her, unlike Draco who threw his away for the promise of power and supremacy; something the Dark Lord will never deliver. His ignorance has led him to believe that he is among the elite. In truth, he is nothing but a slave and will soon die one," Snape said coldly.

"We cannot let our emotions rule us, Severus. We have ready lost a great deal because we couldn't control our feelings," Remus cautioned.

Snape stood up and looked Remus in the eyes with a callous stare. "Are you referring to the demise of our late friend, Mr. Black? Do you blame me for his death, the same way that slow-witted Potter boy does?" Snape asked in an irritated voice.

"No, I don't blame you for Sirius's death," Remus answered. "His choice to go after Harry, to the Department of Mysteries, was his and his alone. Of course, there may not have been a reason for him to go if you hadn't stopped teaching Harry Occlumency. Why did you stop the lessons? Surely you knew that Dumbledore wouldn't have asked you if he didn't think the lessons were important."

Severus could sense the underlying resentment in Lupin's question. He didn't say it, but Lupin indeed held him at least partly responsible for what happened to Black. "Potter was a hopeless student. He lacked the concentration and discipline to ever be a master of Occlumency. Continuing the lessons would have been a waste of my time," he answered resentfully.

"Are you sure it wasn't your pride that caused you to suspend the lessons?" Remus accused. "Harry told us about what he had seen in the Pensieve; isn't that the real reason you stopped teaching him Occlumency?"

"It's not surprising that Potter told you about that," Snape said bitterly. "His silence was the only thing I have ever asked of the Boy Wonder. So, of course, he couldn't wait to betray my trust. He truly is his father's son." Lupin just stared back at him with his amber eyes. Severus could tell he had upset Lupin by insulting his long-dead friend and his son.

"You showed Harry a part of his father he never knew existed. It's only natural that he would seek out answers from the other people involved in that memory. You know, Severus, I found it very peculiar that you placed that particular memory in the Pensieve. What happened after our O.W.L. exams was quite minor compared to what James and Sirius did to you on numerous other occasions. I would have expected your first trip aboard the Hogwarts Express, and the sorting ceremony that followed, would have been your worst childhood memory."

"Those memories were in the Pensieve, as well," Snape answered. "Luckily, I was able to stop Potter before hesaw those images. Imagine what he would have thought of his dear father if he had seen what he was capable of at only eleven years old." The memory of what was done to him on the train to Hogwarts, by that mob of students, still bit hard at his heart.

"James and Sirius were too young to know any better at that time. I can assure you, they both regretted what they did later," Remus said, defending his late friends.

"Strange, twenty-five years later and I have yet to receive either's letter of apology. I must check through my back mail; maybe I just missed it," Snape sarcastically said with a sneer.

"They may have started the feud between you but your own actions did nothing to stop it. You only helped to escalate matters with your own attacks," Remus declared.

"They were not attacks, but simple retaliations," Snape corrected. " It was the least I could do to stop the reign of terror you and your cohorts continually inflicted upon me."

"I never so much as muttered a single hex at you, nor did I encourage anyone else to do so," Remus said defensively.

"Yes, your neutrality was always such a comfort to me," Snape mockingly said.

"If you remember, Severus, I had a lot more to worry about back then than some juvenile grudge you and James had," Remus said in irritation.

"Do you have a point to any of this?" Snape impatiently asked.

"Yes, my point concerns the memory that Harry witnessed in the Pensieve," Remus answered.

"What of it?" Snape resentfully asked.

"I don't believe you put that memory in the Pensieve because you didn't want Harry to see how his father and Sirius treated you. I believe you put it in to keep Harry from seeing how you treated his mother," Remus said.

"That's ludicrous," Snape scoffed. "Why should I care what Potter would think of that?"

"Because of your feelings for her," Remus answered.

"I had no feelings whatsoever for Evans. She was nothing but a pretentious little Muggle-born know it all," Snape stated angrily.

"Come now, Severus, nearly half the boys in Hogwarts were infatuated with her, including myself. I was always curious why you came outside with the rest of us after the exams. Normally you headed straight for the dungeon after classes, to avoid James and the rest us. I think the only reason you went outside that day was to be near Lily."

"That's ridiculous," Snape spat. He knew Lupin was right but he would be dammed if he ever admitted it to this Gryffindor.

"It must have felt horrible to be humiliated in front of her. That was the reason you called her a Mudblood, wasn't it? You couldn't stand for her to see you like that, weak and helpless at the mercy of the people you despised most. That's why you put the memory of that afternoon in the Pensieve; you must have realized all chance of her ever being interested in you evaporated once you called her a Mudblood," Remus said.

"You're assuming an awful lot, werewolf," Snape said bitterly. "Whatever I felt as a teenage boy has little to do with anything today."

"Of course it does. The way you treat Harry and his friends is a direct result of what happened when you were a student at Hogwarts. You see in him not only the boy who tormented you but also the eyes of the girl you once were so infatuated with," said Remus.

"I dislike Potter because he is just as arrogant as his father ever was," Snape sharply said.

"That isn't true, and you know it, Severus. Not once in his entire life has he ever raised a hand, or tried to torment another person, without being fiercely provoked first," Remus said in a serious voice. Snape thought of bringing up the fight with Malfoy at the end of their Quidditch match last year but felt no real compulsion, at the moment, to defend Draco.

"It seems that fate has given you a second chance, hasn't it, Severus?" Remus optimistically said.

"What second chance?" Snape asked, feeling a little confused.

"Hermione," Remus answered. "You can't tell me that you haven't noticed the striking similarities between her and Lily. If she hadn't been born a year before Lily's death, I would swear that Hermione was Lily reincarnated."

"They are not alike. Evans was much taller than Granger and better looking, as well," Snape solemnly stated.

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Remus said in frustration. "They are both beautiful, highly talented, and courageous Muggle-born witches. Although Hermione might have a sight temper on her."

"A slight temper!" Snape barked. "The little pest tried to hex me right in front of the Headmaster. You're right Lupin, they both do share a lot of traits, but only bad ones. They are insufferable Know-it-all Gryffindors that care for no one's opinion but their own."

"Funny, that also describes someone else I know," Lupin, said with a raised eyebrow. "I believe it was Lily's intelligence and willingness to express herself that probably attracted you in the first place. I doubt her looks had very much to do with it."

"I was a typical, hormonal teenager at the time. Anything I may, or may not, have felt for her was due to that and that alone," Snape declared.

"Regardless of what you tell yourself, I believe you would never be attracted to anyone that wasn't intellectually superior to most others. Without knowing it, the Ministry has given you just what you always wanted. A mate that will challenge and surprise you," Remus said.

"She is barely sixteen years old, a near child. The only thing she will be to me is a burden," Snape criticized.

"A hundred years ago, witches were routinely married off to middle-aged wizards, older than yourself, at only fourteen years of age. The girl knows more about how the real world works than most witches twice her age," Remus informed him.

"I cannot believe that you, of all people, would condone this marriage. Surely you think that she is better suited for Potter or Weasley?" Snape asked.

"The only thing I want more for Hermione than her happiness is her safety. I believe you can protect her from the same fate as Lily; even if it is only your pride that makes you want to succeed where James failed," Remus seriously answered. "In time, I think you two will do well together. At the very least, your child will pose a real threat to Hogwarts' academic records."

"Apparently, Granger has more intelligence than I gave her credit for; besides myself, she is the only one that can see what a disaster this marriage will be," Snape sarcastically said with a sneer on his face. "I hope we are done with this little psychological 'get to know one another better' chat, because I have more important things to deal with at the moment."

"Dumbledore and the rest of us are putting our faith in you, Severus. It will be your responsibility to keep her safe through this. She has already helped Harry thwart the Dark Lord on three different occasions. She could easily become a target for his Death Eaters," Remus said with concern in his voice.

"I take my responsibilities very seriously, Lupin; you know that. I gave my word to the Headmaster that I would let no harm come to her. And none shall; not while I still breathe," Snape vowed.

"I truly hope that you are right, Severus," Remus said. Severus stepped pass Remus and headed for the door. "Shouldn't we have the house-elves clean this up?" Remus asked as he stared at the pool of blood and prints on the floor.

"No," Snape answered coldly as he stood in the doorway. "Let the blood stain the stones. At least, then, Hogwarts itself won't forget."

………………………………………………………………………………………….

Hermione nervously ate her breakfast in the Great Hall with Harry, Ron, and Ginny. In about half an hour her parents were due to arrive at Hogwarts with Mrs. Weasley. She could only hope that the morning ended without someone being killed. Dumbledore graciously lent his office for the meeting of her parents and Professor Snape. Hermione hoped that, with the Headmaster present, things wouldn't get too out of hand.

The best thing to have happened that morning was that Draco and his two gorillas were nowhere to be seen. It was Saturday, so it wasn't surprising that most of the sixth and seventh years had skipped breakfast at Hogwarts to get into Hogsmeade early. Unlike third, forth, and fifth years, they were allowed to go every weekend. The small village's economy depended on it.

"May I have everyone's attention, please," Dumbledore said in a raised voice from the staff table. "I am pleased to announce the marriage of Marcus Flint and Marietta Edgecombe, which took place in Hogsmeade's Warlock Chapel, Friday evening. Mr. and Mrs. Flint are currently on their honeymoon for the weekend. If anyone wishes to send congratulatory remarks to the new couple, please address them to Professor Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw House. Thank you for your attention."

"That was fast," Ginny said, a little surprised by the announcement.

"The Tornados have a match next weekend. Flint probably wanted to get it done before he starts practice on Monday," Ron said as he finished his breakfast.

"I talked to Flint on Thursday. I think he wanted to get it over with before his parents found a way to get him out of it," Harry said.

"You mean he wanted to marry Marietta?" Hermione asked.

"Well, not her specifically. He just didn't want to marry the girl his parents had chosen for him," Harry answered.

"I bet Christmas at the Flint house is going to be fun. Marietta will be lucky if she lives to see New Year's Eve," Ron jokingly said.

"Marietta won't be spending Christmas with the Flints," Harry said in a serious voice. "If Marcus doesn't take her some place safe, then she'll have to stay here, or with one of us, over the holidays."

"Why should we care what happens to Marietta over the holidays?" Ron asked, sounding a bit perplexed.

"Because, Ron, she'll be a member of the D.A. by then. We don't want her to fall into the hands of any Dark wizards, do we?" Hermione answered.

"WHAT?" both Ron and Ginny said together. "Since when is she back in the D.A.?" Ginny asked.

"Cho asked me to give her another chance. She said that the Ministry was putting pressure on Marietta to tell them everything she knew about the D.A. and its members. They even wanted her to sign a statement saying that we were training people to overthrow the Ministry. Since she refused to sign the statement, I decided to give her a second chance," Harry answered.

"Cho asked you?" Ginny bitterly asked.

"Yeah, she did," Harry answered.

"And is Cho back in the D.A., as well?" Ginny angrily asked.

"Uh, yeah, she is," Harry answered, looking a little confused by Ginny's anger.

"You have to forgive Harry, Ginny," Hermione said. "When it comes to Cho, he's pretty whipped."

"I AM NOT!" Harry shouted. "Besides, you agreed that it was a good idea to let Marietta back into the club. You said it would be better if she were unable to tell anyone about us."

"That's true," Hermione said. "But I was thinking with my head when I said that. When you were talking to Cho, you probably didn't have enough blood in your brain to think straight."

"I do not have any feelings for Cho, anymore," Harry said flatly. "She is a friend - that's all - just like you and Ginny," he said to Hermione. Ginny's face contorted further with anger at Harry's words. Hermione thought it was a good time to change the subject.

"Ron, I want to talk to you about Pansy," Hermione said in a very serious tone of voice. "There's something you need to know about the attack on her."

"Draco raped her," Ron said, interrupting her.

"You know?" Hermione asked, sounding surprised.

"He raped her?" Harry asked with a look of shock on his face.

"Oh, Merlin," Ginny said as she put a hand over her mouth.

"How did you find out?" Hermione asked Ron with a puzzled look on her face.

"It was something Draco said yesterday morning before the fight. He called her 'used'," Ron answered.

"WHAT A BASTARD!" Harry yelled. "Does Dumbledore know?"

"Yes, he knows," Hermione answered, sounding very annoyed.

"How did he find out, Hermione?" Ron asked. "The map couldn't have shown you that."

"While I was in the hospital wing with Pansy, that little Slytherin turd sent her a reminder of what hehad doneto her," Hermione answered.

"What did he send her?" Ginny nervously asked.

"Believe me, Ginny. You don't want to know," Hermione said.

"We're going to have do something about Malfoy and his goons," Harry said. "It should be the first order of business for the D.A this year."

"I don't think we are going to get much help from Dumbledore, or the staff, with this," Hermione said.

"We won't need any," Harry told her.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Next Chapter coming soon, so please review.

The next chapter is almost done. This was going to be one long chapter, but once it became clear that it will being over 12,000 words long, I decided to slit it. The good news is your not going to have very long for the next chapter, only a day or two.


	11. Meet The Parents

Author's Notes:

Sorry it took so long to load this chapter. I was on vacation for a couple of weeks.

Here it is as promised. The long awaited meeting between Snape and the Grangers. Oh what fun they will have. The reviews have been great. I really appreciate it. I promise you the best is yet to come.

Nakhash Makashefah spent a couple of sleepless night working hard on this and the chapter before it, for me. She has done so much work on this story that she is dam near a co-author. The only reason this story is so easy to read is because of her, she is the one you should really thank.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 11. Meet the parents

A half an hour later, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny stood on the front steps that lead to Hogwarts' main entrance. Carriages came and went as they shuttled students back and forth to Hogsmeade. The three of them waited anxiously for their parents to arrive.

"What time are they supposed to get here?" Ron nervously asked .

"For the third time, Ron - 8:3O," Ginny answered.

"Did your mum say anything about the attack on Pansy when you owled her, Ron?" Hermione asked.

"Uh…no," Ron said with a guilty look on his face.

"Ron, you did owl Mum and tell her that Pansy was attacked, didn't you?" Ginny asked.

"I was going to, but Thursday night I sent Pig after some Quidditch gear catalogs. He didn't get back till late last night. She was arriving in less than twelve hours by then; I figured it could wait until she got here," he sheepishly answered.

"YOU STUPID TWIT!" Ginny shouted as she raised the heel of her right foot, slamming it down on the front of Ron's left shoe.

"OOWWWW!" he cried as he began to hobble on his right foot. "What the hell did you do that for?" he asked, giving Ginny a very angry look.

"You brainless moron, Mum going to kill us when she gets here," Ginny heatedly said.

"If it was so bloody important to tell her, why didn't you owl her yourself?" Ron asked as he leaned down to massage the toes on his left foot.

"I would have if I'd known you were going to be such a chicken about it," Ginny answered irritably.

Just then a carriage pulled up to the front of Hogwarts' steps. The carriage door swung open and out stepped Mrs. Weasley dressed in deep burgundy robes. Following Mrs. Weasley out of the carriage was Hermione's father. Using her husband's hand for support, Hermione's mother exited last.

Her dad was wearing a simple gray suit and tie with a set of black loafers on his feet. Her mother was wearing a long, dark-green skirt and a coal-grey turtleneck jumper. She had her hair up in a tight bun with a loose set of curls framing her face.

"Good Lord," her father said, as he took off his derby and looked up at Hogwarts. Her parents had been to Hogwarts once before in her second year. Since they had arrived by floo last time, they had never seen the castle from the outside. "Hello, Pumpkin," he said, as Hermione came down the steps to greet him.

"Hi dad, how was the trip?" Hermione asked with a smile.

"As well as can be expected for spending six hours straight on a nineteenth century steam train," he answered. "My bloody cell stopped working as soon as I set foot on that train."

"All Muggle devices stop working around magical places, Dad. It would be very bad for the Wizarding World if Muggles could record and videotape things," she told her father.

"Hermione, dear, just how many students live here?" her mother asked as she looked up at the massive castle.

"A little over five hundred students, plus the staff, and the house-elves," she answered.

"The house-what?" her father asked.

"House-elves, they're kind of like servants. They do all the cooking and cleaning; except when someone gets detention, then a student has to do some of the cleaning, too," she answered.

"Do they have a dental plan?" her father asked.

"I don't think so, Dad," she told him.

"They probably just use magic, don't they? You know, just one of these wizards could put me and the rest of my colleagues out of business for good," her father said.

"So Hermione, where is this man the Ministry says you have to wed?" her mother asked.

"Yes, where is this bloke that thinks he's going to steal my daughter away from her family. Molly told me he's a right tosser, he is," her father said.

"I said no such thing, Thomas," Mrs. Weasley corrected. "I simply said that Severus Snape isn't well-known for his interpersonal skills."

"I think the word you used was 'arsehole', Molly," Mr. Granger said.

"Thomas!" Hermione's mother said to her father with a scowl. "Molly would never say such a thing."

"You both had a few sherries in you at the time, Jan. I doubt either of you can recall just what you said Wednesday evening," Mr. Granger said.

"Professor Snape will meet us in the Headmaster's office at 9:00," Hermione finally answered.

"Ron, where is Miss Parkinson?" Molly asked. "I'm anxious the meet my first daughter-in-law."

"Uh, she's in the infirmary at the moment," Ron awkwardly answered.

"Has she fallen ill?" his mother asked.

"No, not really," Ron said uneasily.

"Some of her fellow Slytherins decided they didn't like the idea of having a Muggle-born witch in their house," Ginny told her mother.

"I see," Molly said, disappointment evident in her tone. "Just how bad is it?"

Hermione, Ron, and Ginny just looked at one another. Most of the color had gone from their faces. Each one hoped that one of the others would answer Mrs. Weasley.

"I take it, it was a bit more that a simple school prank," Molly said.

"I think maybe Madam Pomfrey can explain her condition the best," Hermione said. She really didn't want to discuss what happened to Pansy in front of her parents.

"Very well. There is no time like the present. Ron, lead the way to the hospital wing," Mrs. Weasley ordered. Both of Hermione's parents followed Mrs. Weasley up the steps.

"We don't have to go with them to the infirmary," Hermione told her mother as she walked next to her.

"I don't mind," her mother said. "I'm a bit curious as to what Molly's daughter-in-law will look like. Molly has already invited me to the wedding; I might as well meet the bride." Hermione could only give her mother a nervous look.

A few minutes later, they all arrived at the infirmary. When they entered, Hermione was glad to see that both Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were there with Madam Pomfrey. As they made their way down the long rows of beds, Hermione noticed that Pansy was still sitting on the side of the same bed, just staring at the one next to her. Hermione wondered if she had moved at all in the past day.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Mr. and Mrs. Granger," Dumbledore said as he greeted them.

"Hello again, Headmaster," Hermione's father said as he shook Dumbledore's hand. "It seems that we only get to meet under unpleasant circumstances; I believe Hermione was petrified the last time we were here." There was definitely a hint of anger in her father's statement. Dumbledore just continued to smile but the normal twinkle in his eyes was gone.

"Molly, you are looking very lovely this morning," Dumbledore said to Mrs. Weasley.

"Albus, why was I not informed about an attack on my soon to be daughter-in-law?" Mrs. Weasley asked, sounding very annoyed.

Her question quickly wiped the smile from Dumbledore's face. He turned to Professor McGonagall and said, "Minerva, would you be so kind as to show the Grangers to my office. I wish to speak privately with the Weasleys for a moment. Miss Granger and I will join you shortly."

"You don't want me to go with them?" Hermione asked.

"No, Mrs. Weasley may have some questions for you about Thursday evening," the Headmaster answered.

No one said anything until Professor McGonagall had escorted Hermione's parents out of the infirmary. "Well Albus, I'm waiting for an answer," Mrs. Weasley said, clearly irritated by the delays.

"The reason I chose not to inform you, Molly, is that we are trying to keep out any Ministry involvement in this matter. I wouldn't put it passed Cornelius Fudge to intercept a school owl traveling from Hogwarts to the Burrow," the Headmaster told her.

"And what about you two?" Molly asked angrily as she turned to face her two children. "Why did neither of you tell me about what happened to Miss Parkinson?"

"We didn't want old Fudge to find out either, Mum," Ron quickly answered.

"Yeah, better safe than sorry," Ginny nervously said to her mother. Molly just narrowed her eyes at the two.

"Just how bad was it, Poppy?" Molly asked as she turned to face Madam Pomfrey.

With a look of sadness in her eyes, Madam Pomfrey said, "I'm afraid it was very bad, Molly. Do you remember the Muggle-born, Margaret Tattlebone?" Pomfrey asked.

"Yes, she was the young witch that Frank Longbottom found murdered nearly twenty years ago," Molly answered.

"Miss Parkinson was found in nearly the same condition. Fortunately, no one used a Killing Curse on her. She was found just in time by your daughter and Miss Granger," Pomfrey told her.

"Then she was not just simply attacked?" Molly asked as she looked sadly at the figure sitting motionlessly on the bed.

"No, I'm afraid not. And it would appear that this was her first," Poppy sorrowfully answered. Molly just closed her eyes and shook her head. Hermione could see tears leaking from the corners of her eyes.

"Albus, will these nightmares ever end?" Molly dejectedly asked the Headmaster.

"One day, Molly, one day," he answered.

"Have her parents been informed?" Molly asked.

"Her parents refuse to have any involvement with their former daughter. They had themselves removed as her legal guardians and had the adoption annulled," Dumbledore told her.

"Surely her mother would respond if she were to hear what has happened?" Molly asked.

"I owled Martha Parkinson personally, explaining everything," Madam Pomfrey said. "She returned my letter unopened with a very rude suggestion as to what I could do with any further correspondence regarding Miss Parkinson."

"Who have you had staying with her since the attack?" Molly asked the Headmaster.

"Well, her old friends and family were out of the question. Mostly it has been members of the staff that have stopped in and checked on her. Yesterday, Miss Granger stopped by for a few minutes," Dumbledore answered.

"Are you telling me that, with the exception of brief visits by the staff and Hermione, this child has just sat here for the last two days with no one to talk to?" Molly angrily asked.

"Uhm…well," the Headmaster stammered. This was the first time Hermione had ever seen Dumbledore at a loss for words. Apparently, Mrs. Weasley could even intimidate a hundred and sixty year old wizard.

"Albus Dumbledore, you should be ashamed of yourself. It's not like we've never seen this situation before. Having her just sit there and wallow in her own self-pity and fear is the worst thing you can do," Molly yelled, scolding the Headmaster. Hermione, Ron and Ginny were shocked. They have never heard anyone talk to Dumbledore that way.

Without waiting for Dumbledore's rebuttal, Mrs. Weasley walked straight over to Pansy's bed and sat down next to her. She tried to place an arm around her shoulders but Pansy quickly pulled away. Not to be denied, Molly grabbed hold of Pansy and, with surprisingly little effort, pulled her up onto her lap. Molly was only a witch of average size but, apparently, raising seven Weasleys has given her amazing strength. Pansy was still squirming when Molly placed a hand on her head and brought Pansy to her bosom. As soon as Pansy's head rested on Molly's chest, she suddenly broke down and started to cry. Loudly sobbing, Pansy grasped on to Mrs. Weasley with both hands as if her life depended on it.

"There, there, child. It's going to be all right. You have family with you now," Mrs. Weasley said as she stroked Pansy's hair with a soothing hand.

"Mummy," Pansy desperately cried as she pressed her head into Mrs. Weasley.

Hermione's own tears began to flow at hearing Pansy's plea. She felt so foolish when she thought about the distance she had kept between herself and Pansy yesterday. Hermione wondered if she would have gotten a similar reaction if she had had the courage to comfort Pansy as Mrs. Weasley was doing now. Hermione could see that Ginny had fresh tears as well. Looking over at Ron, Hermione could tell by his watery eyes that he was waging a losing battle with his emotions.

"Albus, I want you to gather all of Pansy's things. She will be leaving with me when I return to the Burrow," Molly told the Headmaster.

"Do you think that is wise, Molly?" Dumbledore asked.

"It seems quite apparent to me that she is not safe here. She needs to be somewhere where she can feel safe again, a place with someone to care for her," Molly answered. "If the Ministry asks, just tell them she came with me to plan her wedding."

Dumbledore reached into his robe pocket and withdrew Pansy's gold bunny bracelet, then handed it to Mrs. Weasley.

"What's this?" Molly asked.

"All her possessions, I'm afraid," Dumbledore gloomily answered. "Apparently her fellow housemates destroyed everything she had, including her wand. She was left with just the clothes on her back. Those were badly damaged and had to be cut from her after the attack. I sent an owl to Ollivander's for a replacement wand. He informed me that he's currently out of eight-inch willow wands with griffin's hair cores. He suggested that we bring Miss Parkinson to his shop so she can be refitted for another wand."

"I see," Molly said, looking at the gold bracelet in her hand. "Ginny, please bring me a set of your clothes for Pansy to borrow. I'll owl you some replacements once I return home."

"Sure thing, Mum," Ginny said as she wiped her nose and headed out of the infirmary.

"Albus, when she is ready, I will personally take Pansy to Diagon Alley for a new wand," Molly told the Headmaster. Pansy's sobs grew fainter as Mrs. Weasley gently rocked her in her lap as if she were comforting a toddler that just skinned her knee. Somehow, the scene before her made Hermione wish to see her own mother again, right away.

Sensing this, Dumbledore leaned over and said, "Perhaps it would be best if we were to give Miss Parkinson and the Weasleys some privacy. We have a meeting to attend; it would be best not to keep Professor Snape or your parents waiting." Hermione agreed and followed Dumbledore out of the infirmary.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

When Hermione entered Dumbledore's office, she found her mother standing in front of the portraits of all the previous Headmasters with Professor McGonagall at her side explaining something to her. Hermione's father was standing in front of Fawkes's perch, trying to feed him what looked like a piece of a breakfast biscuit. "_Pauly want a cracker?_ Come on, say it you ruddy bird. _Pauly want a cracker?_" her father said as he pushed the piece of biscuit at Fawkes's beak. Hermione could tell by the way Fawkes had his feathers raised on the top of his head that he wasn't enjoying her dad's attention.

"Daddy, that's a Phoenix, not a parrot. It doesn't talk and it only eats red meat," she told him.

"Red meat, aye," her father said as he gave the bird a curious look. "He likes mice, rats, and the sporadic garden snake, does he, Pumpkin?"

"Fawkes has a bit more of a substantial appetite than that," Dumbledore said as he entered the room. "Pigs, goats, sheep, and the occasional mule if he had a busy day." After listening to Dumbledore, her father quickly withdrew his hand from the vicinity of Fawkes's beak. Stepping back, he now eyed the beautiful creature with some suspicion.

Dumbledore crossed his office until he stood next to the large fireplace. Pushing in on a secret panel, the Headmaster opened a door that was revealed. "Minerva, could you inform Severus that the Grangers are here and wish to speak with him. Please tell him to meet us in my parlor," Dumbledore said to Professor McGonagall.

"Of course, Albus," McGonagall said as she headed out of the Headmaster's office. Hermione and her parents followed Dumbledore into the parlor. The room was the same size as the office. An identical fireplace was in the wall just opposite the one in the next room but without all the clutter and whirling gadgets. The room had four comfortable-looking leather sitting-chairs in it. Along one wall, just under a large window looking out over the lake, was a large leather sofa - big enough for even Dumbledore to stretch out on.

The thing that caught Hermione's attention most was the set of bookcases on the far wall. She quickly approached the one on the left. Hermione couldn't recognize a single volume. She could tell that they were all magical texts and, from the looks of them, they were very old. The second bookcase held nothing but journals. When Hermione read the names on them, she realized that they were the private journals of all Hogwarts' past Headmasters. On the very top shelf were four journals all by themselves - Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin were written on the bindings.

"Headmaster, are these the private journals of the Founders?" Hermione excitedly asked.

"Yes; well, copies at least," Dumbledore answered.

Hermione let her curiosity get the better of her; without thinking, she reached up for the journal marked 'Godric Gryffindor'. As soon as her fingertips touched the journal's spine a large jolt of electricity shot through her arm. "Owww!" she cried as she shook her hand in pain.

"Careful, Miss Granger. I afraid you'll have to be Headmaster of Hogwarts if you wish to read any of the books in this room," Dumbledore said with a bit of a smirk.

"A bloody vulture in your office and booby-trapped books in here. You really should consider marking these things with warnings, Headmaster," her father suggested.

The fireplace suddenly erupted in green flames; a second later Professor Snape entered the room from the fire. Hermione's mother let out a small cry at the sudden, unexpected appearance of the dark man. Hermione noticed that Snape appeared to be in an even fouler mood than was typical for him. Snape eyed everyone in the room with a suspicious glare.

"Severus, I would like you to meet Hermione's parents. This is Thomas and Janet Granger," Dumbledore introduced. "Mr. and Mrs. Granger, this is Professor Severus Snape, our Potions Master here at Hogwarts."

"This can't possibly be the man your Ministry wants my Hermione to marry," her father said as he gave Snape a distrustful look. "He's at least my age."

Snape crossed his arms over his chest and gave Mr. Granger an angry scowl. "I'm thirty-six years old. According to Miss Granger's biography in the marriage contract, you are forty-five years of age. There is almost a decade's difference between us," Snape impatiently informed her father.

"You look nearly fifty," her dad spat back at Snape. "You're as pale as a ghost; do you ever venture outside this castle?" Snape didn't answer; he just continued to glare at Mr. Granger.

"Thomas, try to remain civil," Hermione's mother said to her father.

"Jan, please, just look at him," her father said. "He looks like some kind of comic book villain. All he needs is a handlebar mustache and he'll be ready to start tying damsels in distress to railroad tracks."

Ignoring her father's insult, Snape turned to Dumbledore and said, "Headmaster, I really don't have time for this foolishness."

"Be patient, Severus. We are here to help Mr. and Mrs. Granger understand the current situation their daughter is in," Dumbledore told Snape.

"Understand? This is bloody lunacy; forcing children to get married. It's like something out of the Dark Ages," Hermione's father angrily stated.

"Mr. Granger, I understand your frustration. This law was conceived with the best of intentions but it is currently being used by the Ministry against anyone they consider a threat. They're trying to use it as a form of control," Dumbledore told her father.

"And just what has this man done to become a target of your Ministry?" Mr. Granger asked, giving Snape another suspicious look.

"I am not the Ministry's target. Your daughter is," Snape told her father.

"That's ridiculous," her father said. "What could a fifteen year old girl possibly do to get the Ministry's ire?"

"It's a bit complicated, I'm afraid," Dumbledore said. "The short answer is that, last summer, Hermione and a few of her friends caused the Minister of Magic ,Cornelius Fudge, a great deal of embarrassment when they proved him wrong in a very public way. I believe that is the reason why she and the rest of her friends are being affected by this law."

"This is outrageous and I won't stand for it," Mr. Granger angrily said. "My wife and I are perfectly willing to pack up our practice and take our daughter to another country. I can be a dentist in California just as easy as I can in London. The taxes in the States are cheaper, as well."

"Daddy, you can't do that," Hermione told her father.

"Of course we can, Pumpkin," he said to her. "You know your Mother and I will do anything to keep you safe."

"No, I mean it won't work," Hermione said. "If you leave, the Ministry will just arrest someone else. Like Grandma and Grandpa or Uncle Steve and Aunt Maggie."

"They wouldn't dare," her mother furiously said. "We should take this to our Member of Parliament."

"If you do that, Madam, you would most likely lose a lot more than just your daughter," Snape said to Mrs. Granger.

"What do you mean?" she asked Snape.

"The Wizarding World cherishes its secrecy above all other things. If you try to involve the Muggle authorities in this, the Ministry will be forced to act. They would Obliviate the memories of anyone you spoke to. They might even remove all memories of your daughter from your own minds. To you, it would be as if she never existed."

"You can't be serious?" Her father asked.

"Severus is quite correct. The Ministry has done far worse to silence a problem from the Muggle authorities," Dumbledore informed them. "You must understand that Severus is a victim of this law as well. He has no more choice in this than Hermione has. But, I can assure you, he is a decent and responsible man. I've known him all his life; believe me when I tell you that he will willingly give his life to protect your daughter."

"How can you say that? He doesn't even appear to like her," Hermione's mother asked.

"Severus knows how special your daughter is and what she means to the Wizarding World." Snape interrupted Dumbledore with a loud snort. The Headmaster just gave the younger wizard a stern look over his glasses before he continued. "We will be wasting our time and our effort to try and fight this law, now. What we need to concentrate on is how to make this situation work for the best. Getting to know one another in a civilized way is a good start."

"It just so difficult to accept. You're asking us to place our only child in the hands of a complete stranger," Mrs. Granger said to Dumbledore.

"That is precisely my point. You need to know who Severus is before you can learn to trust him. The Ministry is not our only concern in this matter. Dark forces in the Wizarding World will most certainly take an interest in these Muggle-born marriages. Severus is quite adept at dealing with both the Ministry and Dark Wizards. There is no one more qualified to keep Hermione from harm than he," Dumbledore stated.

"Severus, can I have a word?" Dumbledore asked. Snape walked to the Headmaster. With their backs turned to everyone, they began to whisper. After several minutes of fiercely whispering at each other, Snape said, "Fine!" in an angrily raised voice. He then reached into his robe and handed something to Dumbledore.

After taking the object from Snape, Dumbledore turned and said, "Now that you have been introduced, I will give you some privacy to get to know one another better.

"Hermione, may I have a word?" the Headmaster asked as he approached her.

"Of course, Professor," she answered. As soon as Dumbledore reached her she asked, "You're not going to leave us alone with him, are you?"

"Don't worry my dear; I have his wand," Dumbledore said as he patted his breast pocket.

"He gave you his wand?" she asked, sounding very surprised.

"Yes, but under one condition," Dumbledore said as he held out his hand.

"You're kidding?" she asked, looking up at the old wizard.

"I'm afraid not, Miss Granger. If you remember, it was you who first pulled a wand the last time," Dumbledore said. Reluctantly, Hermione reached into her robe and pulled out her wand, handing it to the Headmaster.

"If anyone requires my assistance, I'll be in my office," Dumbledore said as he slipped out of the room.

For what seemed like an eternity, no one in the room spoke. Finally, Hermione's mother began, "So, tell us a little about yourself, Mr. Snape?"

"Mum, call him Professor," Hermione quickly said to her mother.

"Sorry – Professor Snape," she corrected.

"Just what, precisely, is it you wish to know?" Snape asked.

"Why don't you tell us just where it is that you plan to live once you have taken our daughter's hand in marriage?" Hermione's father irritably asked.

"As Head of Slytherin, I have ample quarters within the castle; large enough for a small family," Snape dispassionately answered.

"What about when school is not in session; where do you live then? Do you own a home of your own?" her mother asked.

"I normally spend my summers at Hogwarts. My family does own an estate, but due to complications after my parents' deaths, it is currently unavailable," Snape answered.

"Currently unavailable, what's that suppose to mean? Is your family estate in debt?" her father asked.

"No, it is not," Snape said, sounding insulted. "The problem is magical not financial."

"Speaking of finances, just how much do you make working as a schoolteacher?" her father asked. "I hope it's enough to support a young mother and newborn child."

"My salary should be quite adequate for our needs. Since Muggle currency differs from our own, I won't bore you with the details," Snape answered in a condescending tone.

"Different currency, indeed. You people probably trade in goatskins and animal body parts," her father mockingly said. "Tell me, Professor Snape, have you ever been married before?"

"No."

"Then how are we to know that you are capable of treating our daughter with the respect that she deserves?" her father asked.

"I will treat Miss Granger with the respect she earns and that is all," Snape said angrily.

"Just what's that suppose to mean," her father spat back angrily.

"What it means is, your offspring is typically an insolent, disrespectful little brat. I can only assume it was her loose Muggle upbringing that made her that way," Snape stated maliciously.

With rage on his face, her father approached Snape. He was only five-foot nine and, at six-foot two, Snape seemed to tower over him. Hermione didn't fear for her father's safety. He had been an amateur boxer in college and still had a strong, lean body. She knew he could hold his own in a physical fight with most men.

"Listen you black-covered sack of codswallop. If I ever again hear you speak of my daughter in such a manner, I'll knock you right on your pasty arse," her father threatened through his clenched teeth. Snape simply returned her father's threat with an evil looking smirk. Hermione knew things weren't looking too good.

"You don't really think I'll take the threat of some lowly pest of a Muggle seriously, do you. The vermin that scamper through these halls late at night are more fearsome than the likes of you," Snape said, ridiculing Mr. Granger.

"Listen up, Dracula," her father said in a challenging voice. "I'm about one step away from teaching you the lesson of a lifetime. Insult my daughter again and you're going to learn all about pain; and if there's one thing we dentists know, it's pain."

Snape's evil smirk only grew larger at hearing her father's words. Hermione suspected that Snape had taken the attack on Pansy a lot harder than he let on. If he were looking for someone to take out his frustration on, her father was giving him the perfect opportunity.

"You shouldn't be so concerned about your daughter, Muggle. After all, in couple of weeks she'll be all mine to do with as I please. On our wedding night she will be calling me 'Daddy'. Mmm Mmm, I can't wait to get me a piece of that Pumpkin pie," Snape said with a perverted look of pleasure on his face.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" her father screamed, as he threw a lighting fast punch at Snape, striking him dead in the nose. Snape staggered back, grabbing his nose in pain. Her father quickly took up his old boxing stance in front of Snape. Not waiting for him to recover, Mr. Granger threw a left hook to Snape's body. Snape winced in pain as he took the shot to his liver.

"Thomas, stop this," Hermione's mother shouted, as she raced over to the dueling pair. Snape, now with a face full of rage, decided to strike back at his attacker. He threw a hard straight right of his own at Mr. Granger. But, with his quicker reflexes and boxer training, Hermione's dad was easily able to duck the punch.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Granger, who was standing directly behind her husband at the time, wasn't so lucky. She took Snape's punch right in the left eye. Fortunately, his punch was almost at its full extension when it made contact and only staggered Mrs. Granger.

"MUM! Hermione shouted anxiously after seeing her mother get hit. Hearing the sound of his daughter's voice caused Mr. Granger to take his eyes off Snape for a brief second. Severus quickly exploited the other man's mistake by throwing a vicious left hook of his own. His blow struck Mr. Granger in the right temple, staggering the man. Snape quickly followed it up with a body shot of his own. Mr. Granger rapidly recovered and threw a striking set of jabs at Snape's face.

The two warriors continued to throw punches as they began to circle each other in the small room. Looking for the knockout blow, Mr. Granger threw a jarring straight left. Unfortunately, a knockout is just what he got. Snape was able to duck the powerful blow, which was very bad news for Mrs. Granger who was now standing at his back with one hand over her left eye. Mr. Granger was unable to stop himself before his punch solidly hit his wife in the right eye.

Janet Granger fell backwards, landing firmly on her bum. "MUM!" Hermione cried once again, as she raced to her mother's side.

Snape, realizing that he wasn't about to beat the faster, smaller man in a fisticuffs match, took advantage of his now shocked adversary and grabbed hold of him in a bear hug. Mr. Granger violently shook and squirmed trying to get out of Snape's powerful grasp.

As the two men struggled in one corner of the room, Hermione checked to see if her mother was ok. "Are you all right, Mum?" she asked, as she tried to help her mother to her feet. Hermione could see that she had a nice sized mouse growing under her left eye. Her right eye was already starting to swell shut. "I'm ok," her mother said weakly, as she tried to shake off the cobwebs.

Snape finally deciding to use his longer reach to his advantage. He released his bear hug on Mr. Granger and suddenly shoved one arm between Granger's legs and the other over the man's right shoulder. He quickly scooped the smaller man up and prepared to body slam him in the middle of the room.

Realizing the danger he was in while hanging upside-down in the Professor's grasp, Mr. Granger wrapped his arms tightly around the top of Snape's left leg. Snape desperately tried to shake the man loose so that he could properly throw him to the ground.

Seeing the peril that her husband was in, Mrs. Granger reached over and picked up her purse that was sitting on the sofa. She then raced over and leapt straight up onto Snape's back. "LET GO OF MY HUSBAND, YOU BLOODY BASTARD!" she screamed, as she began to strike Snape in the side of his head with her purse. Snape struggled to keep balanced as he now had the weight of two extra people to deal with.

Deciding to go on the offensive, Mr. Granger sank his teeth into Snape's left thigh. "AAAAWWW!" Snape screamed in pain. Finally, Snape's legs gave out and all three crashed to the ground in a pile of twisted limbs. While her dad and Snape fiercely grappled on the floor with each other, Hermione's mother continued to strike Snape in the head with her purse.

Apparently having heard the loud scream and the following crash, Dumbledore suddenly burst into the room. "_Petrificus Totalus_," the Headmaster shouted, as he pointed his wand at the flailing mass on the floor. All three of their bodies instantly straightened stiff as boards.

Hermione felt foolish that she hadn't thought to call the Headmaster sooner. She wondered if a perverted part of her hadn't really wanted to see her father kick the crap out of Snape.

Dumbledore stepped over Hermione's mother and looked down at the petrified Snape. "Severus, I'm surprised at you. These people are going to be the grandparents of your first child," Dumbledore disappointedly said to the man lying stiff on the floor.

"I'll name the child's first bowel movement after them if that will make you happy. Now release me," Snape demanded.

Ignoring Snape, Dumbledore pointed his wand at Hermione's mother and said, "_Finite Incantatem._" Hermione reached down and helped her mother to her feet. "Miss Granger, will you please take your mother to see Madam Pomfrey. I wish to have a private conversation with your father and Professor Snape," Dumbledore said, shooting a look of disdain at the two men on the floor.

"Yes, Professor. I'm really sorry about this," Hermione said regretfully.

"No need to apologize, Miss Granger. As I said to you before, it's best not to keep things too bottled up," the Headmaster told her.

"Thank you, sir," she said, as she led her mother to the door. Just before leaving the parlor, Hermione turned and took one last look at the two men on the floor. Snape had received some considerable damage to his face from the hands of her father. He had one black eye and both his mouth and nose were bleeding. Her father didn't look much better. He had a nasty looking lump on the right side of his head and his nose and mouth were bleeding as well. Hermione just shook her head as she closed the door behind her.

"I have never met such a despicable man in all my life," Hermione's mother angrily stated, as they made their way down the school corridor. Mrs. Granger limped with each step since one of her heels had been broken off in the scuffle.

"Professor Snape does seem to have that effect on people," she told her mother. "Don't worry Mum, I'll only have to put up with him for a year at most."

Hermione's mother stopped in the middle of the hall and faced her daughter. "Listen to me, Hermione. That man is going to be the father of your child. No matter what you think, he's going to continue to be a part of your life," her mother informed her. "That's why you need to take control now, before he gets it into his fat head that he can treat you anyway he wants. You need to make sure he doesn't even go to the loo without asking permission first."

"I got it, Mum. I'll cut them off and keep them in my pocket," she said confidently to her mother.

"Good girl," her mother said, as she patted her on the shoulder. Hermione took her first good look at her mother since they left Dumbledore's office. Her right eye had completely swollen shut. Her left was red and watery with a purple mouse under it. Her mother's hair had come out of its bun and was now as wild as a lion's mane.

"Mum, your eye looks pretty bad. We should hurry and get you to the infirmary," Hermione said with concern. Her mother reached into her purse and withdrew a large pair of sunglasses and put them on.

Before closing her purse, Mrs. Granger looked inside and said, "Damn, I think I broke your father's phone on that stupid oaf's head." Closing her purse, Mrs. Granger continued to limp down the corridor with as much dignity as she could muster.

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Next chapter coming soon, Harry and Narcissa get to know one another.

Please review. I'll always try to give you my best.


	12. Dinner At The Manor

Author's Notes:

Thank you to all my readers and reviewers. You make this so much fun.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

This chapter was beta'd by Nakhash Mekashefah.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 12. Dinner at the Manor.

It was 10 am Saturday morning and both Fred and George Weasley were working hard to get their store, Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes Emporium, ready for its Grand Opening. They had hoped to be open by August 22, two weeks ago, when all the Hogwarts students were in Diagon Alley getting resupplied for the new school term. Unfortunately, their mother insisted that they both complete their N.E.W.T's exams before she would let their father cosign the lease on the store.

George was in the front of the store putting up display racks for their inventory, while Fred was in the lab making their products. "We're all out of Erumpent horn, again," Fred said, as he came out of the lab with his black leather apron and safety goggles still on.

"How can that be?" George asked. "I just bought a new bag last week."

"I used a lot to make the exploding quills and the Ballroom Busters," Fred answered.

"That stuff costs nearly twenty Galleons a bag. Maybe we should cut back on how much we use in the Ballroom Busters," George suggested.

"We can't do that, it would ruin the effect. The gag only works if everyone in the room can hear who's farting," Fred informed his brother. "Listen mate, the only way we are going to compete with Zonko's is if our stuff is much better quality than theirs."

"I know, it's just that we're going to run out of money before we get half our inventory made. If only we didn't have to buy all these ingredients at retail instead of wholesale prices," George said, sounding frustrated.

"To get wholesale prices, we would need a Potions Maker's license. I don't think that greasy twit Snape is about to lend us his," Fred told his brother.

"We could always forge one," George said with a sinister smile.

"We haven't been in business a week yet. Isn't it a bit soon to be resorting to criminal solutions?" Fred asked with a look of concern on his face.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Besides, old Fudge is just looking for any excuse to put us out of business. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to send him one of our Portable Swamps," George said to his brother.

"What we really need is some more capital to start things up. Maybe we can ask Harry for some more money. His parents left him quite a bit in a Gringotts vault. We can make him a full partner at ten percent," Fred suggested.

"I think we should save Harry as a last resort. What we need to do is just tighten up our belts, try to save money anywhere we can. No more eating out or buying new clothes. We let mum feed and clothe us for a while," George said.

"Do think that will be enough?" Fred asked.

"No, we may have to make some pretty tough sacrifices," George told his brother.

"Like what?" Fred said, with a look of apprehension.

" Well, since we can Apparate now and we're no longer on a Quidditch team, I was thinking that we could sell all our Quidditch gear and brooms," George recommended.

"What? You can't be serious?" Fred asked in disbelief.

"I _am_ serious. It's either that or we both go get real jobs," George stated.

"You're probably right, I just didn't think I would have to give up so much for our dream," Fred said with disappointment.

"Me either," George said.

"Did we just grow up a little?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, we'll have to be careful not to do that again in the future. It would be bad for business," George said with a smile.

A bell chimed twice in the front of the store letting them know that the owl post had arrived. George could see that there was a set of owls on the mail perch out front clutching a burlap bag, with the initials _W.W.W.E_ on it, in their talons. George grabbed an empty bag and headed out front. After exchanging the bags, he came back inside the store.

"I hope there are mail orders in there. It would be nice if those flyers we put up around Hogsmeade paid off," Fred said, as his brother poured everything out of the bag onto the counter. Two packages and six letters fell out of the bag. Fred opened one of the letters and began reading it. "It's from a third- year Slytherin girl who wants a set of Extendible Ears."

"A Slytherin? Oi, looks like we have a real moral dilemma, here. How much are we getting for a set?" George asked.

"Fifteen Galleons," Fred answered.

"We'll sell her the ears, but we'll also write Ron and let him know about them and give him the girl's name," George said.

"You know, it might be a good idea to keep a list of all the things Slytherins buy from us," Fred suggested.

"Not just the Slytherins, all four Houses. A Dark wizard can come from any house, remember," George told his brother. "It could also help us figure out just what people in each house want."

They opened the rest of the letters. Four were from Slytherins wanting one kind of a prank or another. And one was from a first-year Hufflepuff boy who wanted their Skiving Snackbox Nosebleed Nougat, so that he could get out of flying lessons. Fred picked up one of the two packages and opened it. He didn't need to read the postmark to know who had sent it. The plain brown wrapping paper and cheap twine was his family's trademark. "Mum sent us some sweetloaf," Fred told his brother.

"Save me a slice,' George said, as he looked at the other package. "Fred, I think we have a problem here, mate," he said, as he gentle set the package back down on the counter.

"What is it?" Fred asked with concern.

"It's a package from Parvati Patil," George answered.

"So what, she sends you - well me - letters all the time?" Fred asked.

"It's not addressed to me. She sent it to you, Fred," George told his brother.

"You don't think she knows, do you?" Fred asked his brother, as they both continued to stare at the small blue package as if it were addressed from a Death Eater.

"She might; why else would she write you?"

"Maybe she wants some advice about you. She wants to get you a present and wrote me to find out what you might want," Fred answered.

"Why would she send a package instead of a letter?" George asked.

"I don't know. Maybe she already bought you something and sent it to me for safe-keeping," Fred said.

"Safer than at Hogwarts? Somehow I doubt that, Fred," George told his twin. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes as they studied the package. Finally George asked, "Are you going to open it?"

"Me, why do I have to open it?" Fred asked.

"Because this is your mess, not mine. You should be the one to handle this," George said.

"You were the one that always insisted that we never use our real name when setting up a prank. It's not my fault that she thought I was you. Besides, I was already going out with her sister. Things could have gotten ugly," Fred said defensively.

"So, what do you want to do, now? George asked. "Throw it out."

"No, it might be something valuable. I'll just check it with a revealing charm to make sure it's safe," Fred told his brother. He then pulled out his wand, pointed it at the package and said, "_Reperi Arcanum Acutus_." The package glowed green for a brief second and – _"BOOM!"_

Instantly, the entire front room of their store was covered in a grayish, light-brown liquid. The twins continued to stand where they were before the package exploded, just dripping with the horrible smelling goo. Both started to spit the foul-tasting liquid out of their mouths. Wiping his eyes with the palm of his hand, George said, "Yep, she definitely knows."

Still spitting, Fred took off his safety goggles and asked, "What do you think - horse, cow or dog?"

"None of 'em," George answered. "It's pig shit."

Fred just continued to stare at the counter where the small blue package had been. Finally, he said, " That was a really nice design. What do you think, a Spanish Party Pooper?"

"No, not a Pooper," George said. "Just look around. See how everything thing is so well-covered, without any gaps. And there was almost no concussion, at all. That was a Swedish Graffiti Bomb. Just empty out the multi-colored pellets and replace them with liquid pig shit."

"Swedish Graffiti Bomb, you say? That's pretty sophisticated stuff for Parvati. And just how did she know what revealing charm I would use to trigger it?" Fred asked his brother.

"I would say she had some help in this little endeavor," George told his brother, as he took one of his fingers and tried to clean out his left ear. "It would have to be someone that knows you well enough to predict what charm you would use, and someone that knows a lot about practical jokes as well."

"I hate to say it' brother, but it sounds like one of our own has turned against us," Fred said to his twin.

"Which one do you think it was? Our charming little brother or our darling little sister?" George asked.

"Ron knows better," Fred stated with assurance.

"I agree. Ginny was also, probably, the one to spill the beans about you in the first place," George said.

"It would seem that our dear little sister requires a lesson in family loyalty," Fred said. "She's fifteen now and is probably trying to attract the attentions of possible new boyfriends. I think a severe case of dragon fleas might put a damper on her social life, don't you?" Fred asked his brother.

"No, no, Fred. You're going about it all wrong," George said, with a wicked smile on his face. "As her older brothers, it is our responsibility to help out our darling little sister whenever we can. We should make sure that ever boy at Hogwarts knows just how beautiful our precious baby sister is."

Both twins now had literal shit-eating grins on their faces.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Hermione entered the Great Hall for lunch just after her parents left Hogwarts to catch the two o'clock train back to King's Cross Station. Luckily for her, Mrs. Weasley had Flooed to the Burrow with Pansy, earlier. She didn't want her parents to know anything about what had happened to Pansy. She knew if the words 'rape' and 'Muggle-born' were used in the same sentence around her mum and dad, she would end up on a flight out of the county before sundown, no matter whom the Ministry threatened to arrest.

Hermione took her seat at the Gryffindor table next to Ginny and across from Harry and Ron.

"How did the meeting between your parents and Professor Snape go?" Harry asked, before she could even get a single piece of food on her plate.

"About as bad as things could have possibly gone without someone actually getting killed," she answered despondently.

"What happened?" Ginny asked with a bit too much enthusiasm.

"First, Professor Dumbledore made the introductions and then he explained why I have to marry Snape. When he was done, he took both Snape's and my wand, then left the room," Hermione said.

"Why did he take your wands?" Ron asked.

"He thought that we might try to hex one another. I still don't know if it was a good or bad thing to do," she answered.

"What happened after Dumbledore left?" Ginny asked.

"My dad and mum asked a couple of questions; Snape answered. Then my dad insulted Snape. Snape then insulted my dad. Snape then insulted me. Finally, my dad threatened Snape. Snape said something very sick about our wedding night and then my dad punched him in the face," Hermione said in a very monotone voice.

"YOUR DAD PUNCHED OUT PROFESSOR SNAPE!" Harry shouted gleefully, with a huge smile on his face. Most of the Hall went silent at hearing what he had said.

"I would have given anything to have seen that," Ron joyfully said, as a giant smile appeared on his face as well. "I bet old Snape went down with a single blow."

"No Ron. Unfortunately for both my mum and dad, he can really take a punch," Hermione told him.

"Who won then?" Ginny asked. She, Harry, and Ron all leaned in, with great anticipation, to hear what Hermione had to say.

"At first my dad was winning, even though Snape had gotten in a few good hits. But once my dad accidentally punched my mum in the eye, Snape was able to get the upper hand. He's actually a lot stronger than he looks. He was able to pick my dad up, flip him upside down, and shake him until all the loose change fell out his pockets," Hermione told them.

"Your dad accidentally punched your mum?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, but only after Snape had punched her first," she answered.

"Snape punched your mum? What a bastard!" Ron said heatedly.

"No. Snape also punched my mum by accident. She tried to break them up and was too close to the action," Hermione explained.

"She got punched accidentally in the face twice, your poor mum," Ginny said sympathetically.

"Don't worry about my mum, Gin. She got her licks in as well. When Snape had my dad hanging upside down like a rag-doll, she jumped on his back and started beating him in the head with her purse," she told Ginny.

"Oh my gods. I can't believe we missed this," Ron said in disappointment. "Snape got beat-up by a couple of Muggles and we weren't there to see it."

"Ron, both my parents got beat-up as well," Hermione said, sounding a little annoyed.

"Hermione, what were you doing while this fight was going on?" Ginny asked.

"Just standing there, mostly. It was like witnessing a car accident, I couldn't help but watch and see what would happen next," Hermione answered. "I just stood there like a zombie until Professor Dumbledore came in and broke it up."

"What did Dumbledore have to say about your parents fighting Professor Snape?" Harry asked.

"He didn't really say anything to me or my mum. He just sent us to see Madam Pomfrey while he talked with Snape and my dad," Hermione answered.

"Do you know what Dumbledore said to your dad?" Ron asked.

"No. He came to the hospital wing about a half hour later. He was still mad, but he didn't say anything else about me getting married to Snape," Hermione said.

"I still can't believe you have to marry Snape. The greasy bat doesn't deserve such luck," Ron angrily said. After hearing her brother's words, Ginny gave Hermione a little knowing smile.

"You know, with my own marriage contract on my mind, I haven't really thought about you and Snape that much. You're actually going to be Mrs. Snape in less than a month," Harry said in disbelief.

"I'm keeping my name. The first person to call me Mrs. Snape will be hit with an Unforgivable," Hermione warned in all seriousness.

"It just seems like there is something we should be able to do," Harry said in frustration. "It would be bad enough if only one of us had to go through this – but all three? This is truly a nightmare."

"I think that was the whole point, Harry," Hermione told him. "One marriage contract we might have been able to fight. But there's no way we could fight all three. I think Fudge expects at least one of us to refuse or runaway."

"Do you really trust Snape enough to marry him?" Ron asked.

"Tell you the truth, Ron. I really don't know. Professor Dumbledore and most of the people in the Order seem to trust him. But every time I'm in a room with Snape, I feel like reaching for my wand," Hermione said.

"When are you getting married? Have you decided on a date?" Ginny asked.

"October first. That's what me and my mum decided on," Hermione told her.

"Then you have about three weeks to learn as much as you can about Snape," Ginny suggested.

"That's a lot easier said than done, Ginny. His bio in the contract doesn't really tell me much more than when his birthday is and what his O.W.L.'s scores were. Mine were two points higher by the way," Hermione proudly said. "What I need to do is find someone that knows Snape really well and isn't afraid to talk about him."

"That's easy," Ron said. "Just ask Hagrid. He's known Snape since his first year at Hogwarts." Hermione had to admit it; Ron had a very good idea.

"You're right Ron. I will go speak to Hagrid about Snape. I wager there's all sorts of things he knows about him that that sarcastic bastard doesn't want me to know," Hermione cunningly said.

"Speaking of our betrotheds, how did things go with you and Pansy in the hospital wing today, Ron?" Harry asked.

"Ok I guess, but I had trouble recognizing her at first. She looks so different, she looks so..so…"

"Lost," Hermione said, interrupting Ron.

"Yeah, I guess that's it," Ron nodded in agreement.

"Did you speak with her?" Hermione asked.

"No. I didn't know what to say," Ron told her.

"How about - I'm sorry for what happened to you, Pansy, and I'll make sure nothing like that ever happens to you again," Hermione said in irritation.

"Wow, that really would have been a good thing to say," Ron admitted. "Mum said that once she thinks Pansy is ready to talk about the wedding, she'll owl me to come home for a couple of days. I'll tell her what you said, then."

"I can't believe I'm sitting here feeling sorry for Pansy Parkinson, sorry that she has to marry a prat like you," Ginny angrily said to her brother. Ron just glared in return.

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about her being a Slytherin, anymore," Harry said. "We just have to worry about the hornet's nest we're heading into tonight."

"Just how are we getting to Black Manor?" Hermione asked.

"Dumbledore is letting us Floo from his office to the Leaky Cauldron. From there, Tonks and Emmeline Vance will escort us to the Manor," Harry informed them.

"Are we having dinner? Do you know what we are suppose to wear?" Hermione asked.

"The invitation only said to bring two friends and show up at eight o'clock," Harry answered.

"I think we should wear whatever we can run the fastest in," Ron suggested. "And I don't plan to eat anything that the former Mrs. Malfoy might serve up."

"Ron is probably right," Harry said. "We should dress for a fight and eat dinner before we go."

Hermione knew that Harry was trying to sound brave. But she could tell that he was even more nervous than she had been about her parents' meeting with Snape.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

At ten minutes to eight, there was a loud BANG and the Knight Bus came to a screeching halt next to a set of large wrought iron gates in the countryside just north of London. Everyone quickly filed out of the purple beast. Harry, who had ridden the Knight Bus before, was relatively unaffected by the jarring trip. But both Hermione and the stately Mrs. Vance were doubled over losing the last of their dinners.

"Catch ya around, 'arry," Stan the conductor said, as he hopped back onto the bus, and with another BANG it was gone.

"That infernal machine is truly a menace," Mrs. Vance said, as she wiped her mouth with a white silk handkerchief.

"I thought the ride was great," Tonks said with a large smile on her face.

"That's not surprising, considering the fact that you have lived the majority of your life in a constant state of unbalance," Vance disdainfully said to Tonks.

"I'm sorry, Emmeline; I thought the rough ride might actually loosen that stick up you're arse," Tonks insultingly replied to her fellow Order member. It was quite apparent to Harry that these two didn't really like each other very much.

Harry looked through the wrought iron gates at the large house that lay just beyond. It was not what he had expected. After remembering what number twelve, Grimmauld Place looked like the first time he had seen it, he was expecting some kind of dark gothic mansion that belonged in a Muggle theme park.

Black Manor was anything but gothic. It was a large, white, three-story mansion with Greek columns surrounding the entrance. A huge fountain, with the Statue of David in its center, was set in a well-groomed flower garden in front of the main entrance. Harry thought the place looked like the home of a politician or diplomat.

"This is Black Manor?" Ron asked, sounding astonished.

"Yep, the family digs," Tonks said with a smile. "Not what you expected, is it, Harry?"

"No, not really," he answered.

"I heard that it's really nice on the inside. Of course, I wouldn't know," Tonks said with a bit of resentment in her voice.

"You've never been inside?" Hermione asked.

"Nope. My mum, and me were the black sheep of the Black family. After disowning my mother, grandpa never invited us even once before he died. The place has been unplottable and locked behind a Fidelius Charm, waiting for the estate to be settled," Tonks informed everybody.

"The place looks pretty good for being empty for over sixteen years," Ron said.

"My grandmother was very compulsive about keeping everything in the house neat and orderly. She was a very different woman than Sirius's mother," Tonks said.

"Here, Mr. Potter, these are for you and your companions," Mrs. Vance said, as she pulled three wands out of her robes.

"What are these for?" Ron asked, as he took one of the wands.

"They are duplicate wands, Mr. Weasley. If, by some unfortunate accident, you are separated from your original, these will act as replacements. But be warned. They are only good for three spells, no more. They also can be used as emergency Portkeys. Simply break the wand in two and you will be instantly sent back to Hogwarts," Vance informed them.

"Hey, how come I don't have one of those?" Tonks jealously asked.

"You'll get one when you decide to grow up," Vance told her.

"_You'll get one when you decide grow up_," Tonks mockingly repeated, as she morphed her face into an exaggerated version of Mrs. Vance's.

"Thank you for making my point," Mrs. Vance sarcastically answered. Tonks blew a loud raspberry at her with a large forked-tongue.

"You three should be on your way," Mrs. Vance said, ignoring her junior partner's rude display.

"Aren't you coming with us?" Hermione anxiously asked.

"No, Miss Granger. If the Manor wards are anything like the ones at Grimmauld Place, they will only allow three people to enter the gates," Vance told her. "Miss Tonks and myself will remain nearby to keep an eye out for any unwanted guests."

"What if there are already unwanted guests inside?" Ron asked.

"The Order has been keeping watch on the Manor for the last couple of days, Mr. Weasley. The house isn't connected to the Floo Network, as of yet. So we are fairly certain that Miss Black is currently alone in her residence," Mrs. Vance answered.

"Harry, my mum wanted you to give this to my aunt," Tonks said, as she handed him a small black box.

"Is this what I think it is?" Harry asked.

"Yep, it sure is," Tonks answered.

"I'll make sure she gets it," Harry said, as he put the box in his pocket.

Ron reached out and took hold of the gate handle. As soon as he tried to pull on it, there were a loud ZAP and sparks flew from it. The shock knocked Ron off his feet. "Oh Merlin, that hurt," Ron irritably said, as he got back up.

"You should try reading a book from Professor Dumbledore's study," Hermione told him.

"Mr. Weasley. Perhaps it would be best if Mr. Potter were to open the gate. After all, he is the one listed on the invitation," Mrs. Vance suggested.

Nervously, Harry took hold of the handle. Holding his breath, he pulled on the gate. When it swung open without shocking him, he let out a sigh of relief. Hermione stepped through the gate, then Ron, and finally Harry.

"Be careful, Harry," Tonks shouted after them, as they made their way up the long drive.

The house had two large front doors made of black oak. Each door had a small, gold dragon's head with a ring in its mouth for a knocker. Nervously, Harry took hold of one of the knockers and lightly tapped it three times. At first, he thought he hadn't banged the knocker loud enough for anyone to hear, but within seconds the door latch clicked and one of the doors swung open.

Standing, just inside the doorway, was a very tall man dressed in white and wearing a turban. Harry thought he looked like a royal guard to a sultan's harem. "May I help you?" the man asked in a deep voice with a heavy Middle Eastern accent.

"I'm Harry Potter. Miss Black invited me and my friend to her home this evening," Harry said, with as much confidence as he could muster.

"Of course, Mr. Potter. Please, do come in," the tall man said with a slight smile. Hermione, Ron, and Harry followed him across the threshold. "May I take your coats?" the tall man asked, as he closed the door.

"No, thank you," both Harry and Ron answered. They were both wearing light jackets, while Hermione had on a cashmere cardigan. All three of them were wearing jeans and trainers, as well.

Standing in the foyer, Harry could see that Tonks was right about the interior of the manor. A large, dark wood staircase snaked its way down from the first floor to the ground floor. The main entrance had marble floors with a set of huge matching fireplaces on each side of the room. Large murals and portraits littered the walls. Antique furniture was set in front of both fireplaces. Harry thought the place would be best used as a museum rather than a home. It even had the same cold feel that the typical museum held.

Movement at the top of the stairs caught Harry's attention. She moved down the staircase towards them with such smoothness and grace, Harry thought she might be hovering just above the floor like a ghost. He was completely surprised by Narcissa's appearance when she drew near. He had seen her once before at the World Cup, two years ago, but hadn't really paid too much attention to her appearance. He only remembered the look of disdain she had on her face, at the time; apparently she wasn't a Quidditch fan.

He had expected her to look like a female version of Draco. The truth was, she looked nothing like her son. Harry still would have recognized her right away. With the exception of her blonde hair, she looked remarkably like her sister, Bellatrix. The only real difference was, she didn't have Bellatrix's hooded dark-blue eyes, instead hers were gray-blue and fathomless, the same as her cousin Sirius. She didn't possess Draco or Lucius's platinum-blond hair, either. Hers was the color of golden honey, almost seeming to radiate warmth from it. Harry realized that Flint wasn't exaggerating when he spoke about how Narcissa looked. She truly was one of the most beautiful women that Harry had ever seen. This fact did nothing to help his confidence, at present.

"Eight o'clock sharp. It's nice to see that you're so punctual, Mr. Potter," she said, as she reached the bottom of the stairs. She then looked up at the tall man and inquired, "Is the Manor still using Abdul-Majid? That won't do; he's more of a summertime doorman. I think Pierre is more suitable for autumn." With a wave of her wand, the tall man changed into a shorter five-foot ten man with a very neat goatee and short black hair wearing a dark blue suit.

"Madame, I'm at your service," the man said, with a thick French accent, as he gave her a quick bow.

"Much better," Narcissa said, as she put her wand back in her pearl-white silk robes. Harry didn't think they looked much like robes, the top was open exposing both her bare shoulders and the material was as thin as a negligee.

"All three of you chose to wear Muggle clothing. How quaint," she said with a hint of disapproval in her voice.

"I'm Harry Potter. This is Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley," Harry tried to say with authority, but Narcissa didn't seem to notice.

"I am Narcissa Black, heiress to the Noble Black bloodline," she stated proudly. "Mr. Potter, I have asked you here to discuss our upcoming nuptials."

"There are some things I wish to discuss with you, as well," Harry said, trying to make it almost sound like a threat. Once again, Narcissa didn't seem to notice.

"Very well, if you follow me, I believe the house-elves should have dinner ready to serve," Narcissa said, as she led them through a set of large doors. The dinning room was just as ornate as the lobby had been. Harry couldn't see how anyone could eat in a room with so many portraits staring at them. One large dinning table was set in the middle of the room, large enough for at least twenty guests.

There were only four chairs at the table now. Narcissa took the seat at the head of the table, while Harry took the seat at the far end. Hermione and Ron took the two middle seats just opposite each other. Narcissa rang a small bell and with a 'Pop,' a small house-elf appeared. "How can Ditty serve her mistress?" the small elf asked.

"Ditty? Oh no, that name just won't do. I'm tired of house-elf names that sound like they were taken from a nursery rhyme. From now on your name will be Olivia," she ordered.

"Yes Mistress, Ovitia likes her new name," the house-elf answered with a look of doubt on her face.

"It's Olivia, try to remember it correctly from now on," Narcissa told the small elf.

"Yes, Mistress, What can Oleevia bring you, my mistress?" the house-elf asked.

"Close enough," Narcissa told the elf. "A bottle of red wine for our guests, Olivia."

"Yes, Mistress, Oleadia will be right back," the little house-elf said, then disappeared with a soft 'Pop.'

"You'll have to forgive the help. This house didn't come with any elves. I had to purchase four new ones, this week," Narcissa explained.

"You purchased four house-elves? That's despicable!" Hermione stated in disgust.

"Isn't it though?" Narcissa said, apparently in agreement. "A house this big requires a least seven to run properly, ten would be best. Unfortunately, I'm on a bit of a budget until my finances are straightened out. Luckily, the little wretches don't actually require sleep, or nothing would get done."

Harry could tell Hermione was getting ready to explode and start throwing hexes at Miss Black. But he had questions of his own that he needed answered first. "Speaking of house-elves, I'd like to talk to you about Kreacher," Harry said in a stern voice. Narcissa just stared at Harry. He had the unpleasant feeling that she was studying him.

"Just what is it you wish to know, Mr. Potter?" she asked, sounding defiant.

"Why did you tell him to lie to me? Why did you try to get me and my friends killed?" Harry angrily demanded.

"I had no intention of getting you, or any of your friends, killed, Mr. Potter. My target at the time was someone else," she answered.

"Who?" Harry asked.

"Lucius," she stated simply.

"What? I don't understand," Harry replied with a confused look on his face. Both Hermione and Ron looked just as perplexed.

"My plan was that Lucius wouldn't survive the battle. He was always a horrendous duelist," Narcissa informed them.

"That doesn't make any sense," Hermione said. "How does sending Harry and us to face a dozen Death Eaters get your husband killed?"

"I knew that the Order would show up to rescue Mr. Potter. Lucius and the others wouldn't stand a chance against Dumbledore and his followers," Narcissa told them.

"How could you have known that?" Ron asked.

"It's quite simple, Mr. Weasley. I did not tell Lucius everything Kreacher told me. You see, his loyalties prevented him from speaking about Sirius with anyone but me. So, Lucius was never present when we spoke. For Lucius and his Master's plan to work, Mr. Potter had to be out from under the watchful eyes of Dumbledore and the Order. They thought that they had achieved this when Umbridge took over Hogwarts and both Professors McGonagall and Hagrid were driven from the school. What I knew, that they didn't, was that a member of the Order still remained at Hogwarts to keep a eye on Potter," Narcissa said, with an evil looking smile. All three of them gave each other nervous looks. Harry couldn't believe that Narcissa knew about Snape.

"Kreacher may have hated Sirius, but he still would never have directlybetray him," Harry told her.

"You're quite right, Mr. Potter, he wouldn't; not intentionally, that is. Kreacher is really very old and tends to rattle on a bit. He once mentioned that Sirius often complained about a strange creature that kept coming to the house that he wished he could be rid of. Sirius called it a 'Snivellus'. Kreacher didn't know the meaning of this, so he didn't know he was breaking his oath," Narcissa told him. "You see, the name Snivellus is actually…."

"A nickname that my father and Sirius used to call Professor Snape when they were at Hogwarts," Harry said, interrupting her.

"Correct, Mr. Potter. You know a lot more than I gave you credit for," she said, almost complimenting him.

"Snivellus - I'll have to remember that one," Ron said with a smirk.

"You see, Mr. Potter, I knew that the only reason Snape would be anywhere near my cousin was if they were working together, for the Order," Narcissa told him. " I knew that Snape would inform Dumbledore that you had gone missing, thereby alerting the Order."

"Just why did you want your husband dead? What was so important that you would risk all our lives?" Hermione asked angrily.

"At the time, Miss Granger, I had very few options open to me. I would have surely been killed if I refused to go along with Lucius's plan. At least, my way, everyone had a fighting chance to survive," she said to Hermione.

"But why did you want Mr. Malfoy dead?" Harry asked, repeating Hermione's question.

"Self-defense, Mr. Potter," she answered.

"Are saying that Mr. Malfoy wanted to kill you?" Harry asked.

"Yes, for about a year now. He tried to poison me twice, but just ended up killing one of the house-elves and his favorite dog," she told Harry.

"But why would Lucius want you dead?" Hermione asked.

"There is an old saying among pure-blood families, Miss Granger. The deadliest disease a first wife can catch is turning forty. Remember, there is no such thing as divorce in wizarding families," Narcissa said in a very serious tone.

"But you don't look forty," Hermione told her. "You don't even look thirty-six; you could easily pass for twenty-six."

"That's very kind of you to say, but it not the point," she told Hermione.

"Then what is the point?" Hermione asked.

"The point is that I no longer look eighteen, and that's what Lucius thinks he's entitled to. He would consider it an affront to his pride to have a wife that didn't live up to his high standards," she answered. Normally, Harry wouldn't believe a word of her story. But killing his wife to get a younger one did sound a lot like Lucius Malfoy.

"So, to save your own bloody neck, you were willing to risk getting all of us killed or in Voldemort's hands," Harry said accusingly.

"Do not use that name in this house," Narcissa sternly warned.

"What? You don't expect me to call him the Dark Lord, do you?" Harry asked, almost jokingly.

"No, of course not. I would prefer that you didn't mention that egotistical, chauvinistic buffoon, Riddle, at all," Narcissa said irritably. Harry was very surprised that she would use Voldemort's given name.

"It's a good thing your ex-husband didn't hear you talk that way about his Master. He'd really have a reason to kill you, then," Harry said to her.

"Oh please, Lucius had twice the contempt for Riddle than I ever had," Narcissa told him.

"Then why is he a Death Eater?" Hermione asked.

"For the power," Narcissa answered.

"He's rich, why didn't he just buy an election and become Minister of Magic?" Ron asked.

"It was much cheaper to simply buy the current Minister. Lucius wanted power but not the responsibility that goes along with it. He also has certain appetites that he prefers to keep out of the public eye," Narcissa told them.

"You mean like torturing and raping Muggles and Muggle-born witches," Harry asked in a serious voice.

"I was referring to his obsession with collecting Dark Magic artifacts," Narcissa answered. Harry could see by the expression on her face that she wasn't being entirely truthful. She may not have participated in Lucius's crimes, but she was definitely aware of them.

"If Mr. Malfoy had the Minister in his back pocket, why did he get sent to Azkaban?" Ron asked.

"I have to admit, Mr. Weasley, that I'm at a loss to explain it. Lucius has enough on Cornelius to send him to Azkaban for life right alongside him," Narcissa answered.

"So, let me get this straight," Harry said. "You set everybody up to meet in a battle at the Ministry of Magic so that you could get rid of your husband before he got rid of you."

"Essentially, that was my plan. I was hoping that a member of the Order, or maybe Bella, would kill him. I guess I can live with life imprisonment," Narcissa said, sounding a little disappointed.

"Do you know what a sociopath is?" Hermione disdainfully asked.

"I can't say that I've ever heard that term before. Is it a path that a lot of people take?" Narcissa asked.

"I guarantee a lot you pure-bloods are on it," Hermione mockingly answered.

Narcissa narrowed her eyes at Hermione. She knew somehow that she had just been insulted.

"Why would Bellatrix kill Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"She hated my husband with a true passion, for one thing. The fact they were both competing to be the second-in-command under Riddle, was another. Each hoped that they could prove themselves in this mission to their Master. Unfortunately for both of them, things didn't turn out the way they had planned," Narcissa said.

"Why did your sister hate Lucius?" Ron asked. "They were both Death Eaters."

"She and my older sister had this ridiculous notion that Lucius had something to do with our parents' deaths. Which is impossible, because they died when their private yacht was sunk in a freak storm in the Bahamas," Narcissa answered. "Since no trace of the boat, or my parents, was ever found, they naturally assumed that Lucius had something to do with it."

"That's not true," Harry firmly stated. "They found this."Harry pulled the small black box out of his pocket and set it on the table.

"Your sister, Andromeda, wanted you to have this," Harry said. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he slid the small box down the length of the table. Narcissa stopped it with her hand before it fell off the end. After a few seconds of hesitation, she slowly lifted the lid off the box. She gasped a little once she recognized the object inside. With a slightly trembling hand, Narcissa removed her mother's Black Widow pearl necklace from the box.

"Where did she get this?" Narcissa asked in a slightly shaky voice. Harry thought he detected a hint of sadness, as well.

"She found it for sale in a Knockturn Alley store two years after your mother disappeared," Harry told her. "Nowhere near the bottom of the Caribbean Ocean."

"It could be a copy," Narcissa said, obviously still in denial.

"Your mother's blood was still on when it was found; it's probably still on it now," Harry told her.

Narcissa looked at him with wide eyes. He guessed she suspected the truth all along. But, with no real way to deal with it, she preferred to ignore it instead. But there was no ignoring what she held in her hands.

She removed her wand from her robes and pointed it at the necklace. With a shaky hand she said, "_Reperi_ _Artearus Black._" Parts of the necklace glowed a deep red color, including the thick chain. Harry knew this was proof-positive that the necklace was her mother's, along with the blood on it. With extreme care, she gently set the necklace back in the box and closed the lid.

"This only shows that I was right to try and get rid of Lucius when I did," she said to Harry, trying to sound confident. But he knew the necklace was quite a blow to her. Apparently, Tonks' mum knew it would be, too.

With another 'pop,' the small house-elf reappeared with a bottle of wine. "Three fingers for everyone, Olivia," she told the elf. As soon as the house-elf started to pour wine in Narcissa's glass, Harry noticed that his own glass, as well as Ron and Hermione's, began to fill. "Is the main course ready, Olivia?" she asked.

"Yes, would Mistress like to be served?" the house-elf asked.

"Yes," she answered. With a snap of the house-elf's fingers, plates full of food appeared in front of them. Narcissa lifted her glass of wine to her lips, and then quickly emptied it. Harry looked at the food on his plate. The roast chicken looked as good as any he had been served at Hogwarts, but he still wasn't about to eat any of it.

"You're not eating, Mr. Potter?" Narcissa asked, as she let her wine glass be refilled.

"No, I'm not hungry; we all ate just before we…" the clatter of eating utensils interrupted him. Looking over, he witnessed Ron tearing into the food on his plate. Harry felt like taking off his shoe and throwing it at him.

"Ron," Hermione hissed angrily through clenched teeth.

"It was a long bus ride," Ron said, his month full of chicken.

"It was less than ten minutes long," she irritably spat back at him. Ron just shrugged his shoulders and continued to eat.

"I see that Mr. Weasley still has a appetite," Narcissa said.

"It would be a miracle if he ever didn't have one," Hermione told her with a look of disgust on her face.

"As I was saying before, I think it was best to get rid of Lucius when the opportunity presented itself. Besides, everything worked out for the best in the end. Lucius and ten other Death Eaters were caught and sent to prison, and Riddle never did get his hands on the prophecy," Narcissa smugly said, then took another sip of wine.

"SIRIUS IS DEAD! YOU THINK THAT'S FOR THE BEST!" Harry shouted furiously at her.

"Sirius is dead?" Narcissa asked, looking surprised as she lowered her glass.

"Yes, your psychotic nut-job of a sister killed him," Harry angrily stated.

"I never knew anyone had been killed; the Ministry reports didn't mention it. Lucius had clamed in his defense that Sirius was there, but there was no proof," Narcissa told Harry.

"That's because Bellatrix hit Sirius with a stunning hex that knocked him through an archway that led to the realm of the dead," Harry told her. He could still see Sirius' face, as he fell through the veil, as if it had only happened yesterday.

"Then what happened?" she asked.

"He died, that's what happened. He fell through the arch and is now gone forever," Harry irritably told her.

"That's it? He just fell through this archway and disappeared?" Narcissa asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, he just disappeared," Harry answered.

"No set of bleached bones or mummified corpse fell out the other side?" she asked.

"No," Harry answered tersely.

"No painful scream of death as the life was torn from him?"

"No, he just disappeared," Harry told her, feeling irritated by her stupid questions.

"I must ask, Mr. Potter, what makes you think my cousin is dead?" Narcissa asked.

"He fell through the arch and past the veil, no one survives the realm of the dead," Harry angrily explained.

"Actually, Harry, that's not really true," Hermione told him.

"Whose side are you on?" Harry asked Hermione, feeling a bit betrayed.

"Miss Granger is quite right, Mr. Potter. There are hundreds of stories about wizards and witches traveling to and from the realm of the dead. Of course, I don't believe all of them to be true, but some of them have to be. Merlin himself was known to travel to the land of the dead many times," Narcissa told him.

"Dumbledore told me Sirius was dead. He wouldn't lie to me." Harry firmly stated.

"That's the problem with listening to wizards over a hundred and twenty years old. They always think they know what's best for everyone else. The old wizard was probably trying to stop you from going through this archway after my cousin," Narcissa suggested. Harry wondered if she were right; it wouldn't be the first time Dumbledore has tried to protect him from the truth.

"You think there's a chance Sirius is still alive?" Harry asked her.

"I really have no idea, Mr. Potter. But someone built this archway to travel to the death realm. I find it hard to believe that they would have done so if death was the only thing they were seeking," she answered. Harry hoped that she was right; he would give anything to have Sirius back with him. He also knew she might just be trying to avoid the blame for Sirius's death. Harry remembered Tonks telling him how smart her aunt was.

"If Sirius was alive, why hasn't he shown back up, by now? It's been months since he fell through the veil," Harry skeptically asked.

"I really don't know, Mr. Potter. I'm not an expert on these matters. Sirius could very well be dead, for all I know, but I doubt it. Knowing my cousin, he will probably turn up at exactly the wrong time," Narcissa said with a smirk.

"Hermione, do you think it's possible that Sirius could still be alive?" Harry asked.

"It depends, Harry. If he wasn't hurt too badly by Bellatrix's hex and he didn't fall too far once he passed through. He might still be alive," Hermione answered.

"What about food and water. Do you think he could find those in the realm of the dead?" Ron asked.

"He won't need any, Ron," Hermione said. "Time works very differently in that realm. What might seem like minutes to him could be days for us. According to his memoirs, Merlin use to go to the realm of the dead to leap frog forward in time. That's how he lived to be over a thousand years old."

"So, he could come back through the archway at anytime?" Harry asked.

"I doubt it, Harry," Hermione told him. "There probably isn't an archway on his side. Whoever built it most likely took some kind of device with them to allow them to return. Something like a Portkey. Without it, he may never be able to find his way back."

Harry made the decision right there to learn all he could about the archway. If his Godfather were trapped in the land of the dead, he would find a way to rescue him.

"Have you heard from your dear sister, recently?" Harry sarcastically asked.

"You mean Bella? No, Mr. Potter. Nor do I expect I ever will," Narcissa answered. Harry couldn't tell if she was being truthful or not.

"You two don't get along. That's funny, you both have so much in common," Harry spitefully said to her.

"My sister and I haven't spoken since the our parents'death. As I said before, she blames Lucius for their deaths," Narcissa said to Harry, with a look of disdain on her face.

"You're no longer married to Malfoy. Do you think she'll be stopping by for a sisterly chat?" he asked.

"I'm quite sure she's dead, Mr. Potter," she flatly told Harry.

"What makes you think that?" Harry asked.

"The mission to the Department of Mysteries was a complete failure, Mr. Potter. Not only did she fail to retrieve the prophecy, but eleven Death Eaters were captured as well. Riddle has killed his servants for far less. I can only hope that he was merciful and killed her quickly," Narcissa sorrowfully said.

Harry remembered what Voldemort said to Bellatrix in the Ministry of Magic. He didn't think Voldemort would have been merciful or quick if he had killed her.

"It was very ironic that Bella was the one who fought Sirius to the death," Narcissa said.

"Why is that; because they were cousins?" Hermione asked.

"They were much more than just cousins, Miss. Granger. Sirius was my sister's first love," Narcissa told her.

"Ewww, that's disgusting. They were first cousins for Merlin's sake," Hermione said in revulsion.

"First cousin marriages are not uncommon among pure-bloods, Miss Granger. As teenagers, there were very few other wizards and witches our own age to socialize with other than family," Narcissa informed her.

"Sirius never mentioned anything about him and Bellatrix to me," Harry said, sounding skeptical.

"I doubt he would have, Mr. Potter. The whole thing only lasted one summer and ended very badly when they were both sixteen. Sirius ran away from home because of what happened between the two of them," Narcissa told him.

"Sirius said he ran away from home because his parents were Dark wizards," Harry told her.

"Well, that was undoubtedly part of it. But he was also angry that Bella refused to see him after what he had done to her. That had more to do with it than anything else," Narcissa said.

"What did Sirius do to her, anyway?" Ron asked, as he finished with his plate.

"I really shouldn't say. It's probably best to leave these things in the past," Narcissa told them. Harry could tell by the look on her face that she was dying to tell them. She just needed the right prompting.

"Sirius is my godfather. I think it would be best if I know everything about his relationship with your family," Harry told her. Harry realized that this was the first time in months that he hadn't referred to Sirius in the past tense.

"Very well, Mr. Potter, if you insist," Narcissa said with a mock hesitation. "As I was saying, during the summer between their fifth and sixth years at Hogwarts, the two of them became an item. Which was surprising, because they always seemed to hate each other at school. I think it had something to do with which houses they were in at Hogwarts. I guess the fact that they were both trapped in my aunt's house all summer had something to do with their newfound affection for one another.

"My parents normally went on vacation over the summer, so Bella and I would have to stay with our aunt. Well, about two weeks before the new school term started, Sirius did something completely vile and disgusting to Bella. He said it was an accident, but I still have my doubts," Narcissa said disbelievingly.

"What did he do?" Hermione anxiously asked. Harry was also impatient to hear what she had to say.

"As you all probably know by now, Sirius and his friends learned to become Animagi during their fifth year at Hogwarts. One night, toward the end of our summer break, my aunt left for the evening to visit friends in Wales. Sirius and Bella took this opportunity to consummate their love, right in my aunt's bed. This was the first time for Bella, but not for Sirius. Halfway through their sexual escapade, Sirius got overly excited and changed into his Animagus form while he was still with my sister," Narcissa told them.

"HE DIDN'T!" Hermione shouted in disbelief.

"He most certainly did, Miss. Granger. Sirius turned what was suppose to be one of the most romantic nights of my sister's life, into a depraved act of bestiality," Narcissa told them with a devilish smirk on her face.

"Sirius wouldn't do that. Not even to Bellatrix," Harry vociferously stated.

"Sirius always maintained that it was an accident, Mr. Potter. He had learned to become an Animagus all on his own, without the help of a professional instructor. He most likely didn't have full control over his new talent at the time. He wasn't even able to change back right away. He and my poor sister were stuck together that way for nearly twenty minutes. James and I had to force them apart."

"It gives new meaning to the phrase 'Doggie Style' doesn't it?" Ron said, as he began to laugh.

"It's not funny, Ron," Hermione scolded, but was on the verge of laughter herself.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. But when I think of Bellatrix and Snuffles together in that big bed. I just can't help myself," Ron said, through a fit of laughter.

"I can assure you, Mr. Weasley, that my sister found no humor in it. She refused to see or speak with Sirius ever again after that," Narcissa told Ron.

"How long after this were you and your sister betrothed?" Harry asked.

"Actually, Mr. Potter, we were both already betrothed at the time, we just didn't know it. I have to admit, it came as quite a shock, when I returned home for the holidays during my seventh year at Beauxbatons, to be introduced to my soon-to-be husband on Christmas Eve," Narcissa answered.

"And how big of a shock was it when you found out you were betrothed to me?" Harry asked.

"I was surprised at who the Ministry had picked, but not at being selected. I knew something was up when they decided to annul my marriage," Narcissa answered.

"So, how do you feel about having to marry me?" Harry asked her directly. He and his two companions waited impatiently for her to answer as Narcissa took another sip of wine.

"I had reservation at first, of course. But once it became clear that I was left with little choice in the matter, I was able to except it," Narcissa answered.

"You do realize that once you marry Harry, you are going to be a target for every Death Eater out there. The Dark Lord will stop at nothing to make sure that you and your child are both dead," Hermione told her.

"I will be in that situation whether I marry Mr. Potter or not, Miss. Granger. It will only be a matter of time before Mr. Riddle realizes that I betrayed him. At least with Potter, I'll gain the protection of Dumbledore and his Order," Narcissa answered.

"So, it's still just about saving your own arse," Harry said accusingly.

Narcissa gave Harry a contemptuous look, and then said, "We all do what we must to survive, Mr. Potter. Even as young as you are, you should be able to understand that." Harry realized that she was very serious about what she said. She wouldn't let anything stand in the way of her own safety, not even him.

"What about Draco?" Hermione suddenly asked.

"What about him?" Narcissa fired back.

"He's a Death Eater, now. He has the Mark. Ron saw it. Do you think you're going to be safe from him just because he's your son?" Hermione asked.

"Draco stopped being my son as soon as he had me removed from my own house, without so much as a single bronze Knut in my pocket," Narcissa bitterly answered. "Thankfully, my father left enough currency in his private vault, here at the Manor, to sustain me for awhile."

"Wednesday, your invitation said for us to meet here, at Black Manor," Harry said to her.

"I'm quite aware of that, Mr. Potter. I did write the invitation myself. Do you have a point in bringing it up?" Narcissa impatiently asked.

"Draco only found out about our marriage contract that morning. That means he threw you out the same day," Harry pressed her.

"I believe Draco is still in contact with his father, somehow. It was most likely Lucius's idea to have me forcefully removed from Malfoy Manor," Narcissa said with some bitterness.

"I guess you and Draco weren't as close as you thought," Harry suggested.

Letting out a small sigh, Narcissa forlornly said, "It's true, Draco and I have never been that close. He turned out to be so much like his father. That was how he was meant to be, after all. If I were his real mother, maybe it would have been different."

Everyone in the room fell silent at hearing Narcissa's revelation. Harry was sure that he wasn't the only one baffled by it. Finally, Hermione asked, "What do you mean you're not his real mother? Was he adopted?"

"No, Miss Granger, he is not adopted. What I meant was – he is Lucius's blood, not mine. I just gave birth to him," Narcissa answered, but everyone in the room was still looked very confused.

"I don't understand; how can he be Lucius's blood, but not yours?" Hermione asked, sounding very puzzled.

"The Malfoys have practiced the art of Direct Heirs for several hundred years, Miss Granger," Narcissa informed her.

"Direct Heirs, that Dark Magic. It's illegal," Ron anxiously stated.

"What's Direct Heirs," Harry asked.

"Direct Heirs is a custom used by some of the older pure-blood families, Mr. Potter. It's a simple spell and potion given to the family heir's first bride on their wedding night. The spell and potion guarantee that none of the bride's hereditary traits or bloodline is shared with the child. The child grows up to be identical to his father," Narcissa told Harry.

"HE'S A BLOODY CLONE!" Hermione excitedly shouted.

"A what?" Narcissa and Ron both asked.

"A genetic copy. He only has his father's DNA," Hermione told them. "If the Malfoys have been doing this for centuries, then he's a copy of a copy. That's why he's not as smart or as talented as his father. There must be some degradation over the generations." Both Ron and Narcissa still looked puzzled. Harry had to admit to himself, even he was a bit lost.

"Dad says Direct Heirs is the main reason why all the pure-blood families are so messed up, now," Ron said.

"It makes sense. With just the inbreeding, it would be bad enough. Cloning would practically dry up the gene pool," Hermione told them.

"I agree. Direct Heirs have weakened wizard bloodlines throughout the Wizarding World," Narcissa said. "It is a cheap form of immortality that denies witches the opportunity to pass on their own talents to their children."

"If you don't believe in Direct Heirs, why did you do it?" Harry asked.

"Lucius didn't give me a choice. He did promise that our second child would be shared blood. I was naive and foolish enough to believe him," Narcissa said with the sound of regret in her voice.

"You never tried to have another child?" Hermione asked.

" I became pregnant three more times after I had Draco, all of them girls. Lucius forced me to abort them all. He refused to have a child that he would have to pay a dowry to get rid of, he told me," Narcissa resentfully said. "After I was forced to give up the third one, I decided to stop trying."

"You want to try again, with me?" Harry asked.

"You have proven yourself to be a formidable wizard, even at such a young age. Your blood and mine should make a excellent heir to the Black bloodline," Narcissa answered.

"So the only thing you want from me, is the Potter bloodline to mix with your own," Harry suggested.

"Of course not. The Potter Bloodline was mediocre at best. I knew your father since we were children. The only thing extraordinary about James was the size of his head. It's your mother's bloodline that I'm interested in," Narcissa told Harry.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Harry shouted. "My father was a great wizard."

"Name one great thing he ever did," Narcissa challenged.

"He joined the Order and fought against Dark wizards like your husband and son. He gave his life to protect my mother and I," Harry furiously stated.

"Oh please, Riddle went through your father like he wasn't even there. It was your mother who stopped him. It was her magic, not yours, that destroyed Riddle and saved you. But does anyone ever mention her? Of course not. They couldn't have a simple witch destroying the most powerful Dark wizard on earth, could they? So instead, it was 'the boy who lived'," Narcissa sarcastically said. Part of Harry knew she was right. He had always felt guilty about people giving him the credit for destroying Voldemort the first time, when it was his mother who gave her life to save him.

"My mother was a Muggle-born. Her bloodline won't help you," Harry told her.

"That's where you're wrong Mr. Potter. Her bloodline is very strong; you're living proof of that. I wouldn't be surprised if she came from a noble bloodline herself," Narcissa said.

"She was a Muggle-born, there are only Muggles in her bloodline," Hermione said.

"I seriously doubt that Miss Granger. Most Muggle-borns have some kind of magical ancestry, usually no more that two or three generations removed. A true Muggle-born, such as yourself, is very rare indeed. I'd be willing to bet that at least one of Lily Evans grandparents was a witch or wizard," Narcissa told her. Harry wondered if she was right; could he be related to another magical bloodline?

"Fortunately, your own magic comes predominately from your mother's side. You have your father's physical strength and outward appearance, but the rest of you takes after your mother," Narcissa informed him.

"How would you know what or who I take after?" Harry suspiciously asked.

"The hair, she must have tested the hair," Hermione said before Narcissa could answer.

"Miss Granger is correct. I did test the hair sample that Moriarty brought back to me. Because of your striking similarity to James, I was afraid that you, too, were the product of Direct Heirs as well. The Potters were pure-bloods after all," Narcissa told Harry.

"So you want my genes to make your heir. What makes you think I'd ever trust you enough to marry you?" Harry asked.

"It's quite simple, Mr. Potter. You don't have a choice. And I want two heirs, not just one. My daughters will be the elite among the Wizarding World. They will bring the Noble Black family back to the great matriarchy that Morgana, Queen of Avalon, started over a millennium ago," Narcissa confidently said.

"Two? Are you nuts? As soon as the first child is born, our marriage will be over," Harry stated pointedly.

"You haven't read the contract that well, have you, Mr. Potter. The marriage can only be dissolved when the pure-blood is satisfied that a proper heir has been provided. And only the pure-blood can petition the Ministry to dissolve the marriage. So, unless you want to be known as Mr. Potter-Black for the rest of your life, you will give me the daughters I was once denied," Narcissa firmly said.

"How do you know it will be daughters? Do you plan to use magic to insure it?" Hermione asked.

"No, Miss. Granger, I won't need any magic. Our side of the Black family has always had only girls. My mother had only daughters, as did both my sisters. I most likely would have had a daughter if it weren't for the use of the Direct Heir potion and spell," Narcissa answered.

"No wonder Draco acts like a poof half the time. He was meant to be a girl," Ron said with a smirk.

"You said both your sisters had daughters. You mean Bellatrix had a child?" Harry asked.

"No, Bella never had a child. But she was pregnant, once. She lost the child when she was hit by a spell during a battle with Aurors. She barely escaped with her own life," Narcissa answered.

"Let me guess. One of the Longbottoms threw the curse that hit Bellatrix," Hermione stated.

"I'm not sure who it was, Miss Granger. Bella and I were already estranged by that time. I can say that it probably was Lucius who tipped the Aurors off about Bella's whereabouts," Narcissa said.

"You still haven't answered my question. How do I know you can be trusted? What's to stop you from handing me, or our child, over to Voldemort?" Harry defiantly asked.

"I would never hand one of my children over to Riddle, not even if it meant my life. Draco was his father's son and was destined to follow in Lucius's footsteps. Our own child will have a free will of her own. Besides, if Dumbledore trusts me, then you should be able to do the same," Narcissa told him.

"What makes you think Dumbledore trusts you?" Harry asked cynically.

"You're here, aren't you? If Dumbledore didn't trust me, he would never have let you come. He would have used all his influence to dissolve this contract. But he hasn't, has he?" Narcissa asked.

In some bizarre way, what she said made sense. Dumbledore had told Harry to be careful around Narcissa, but he never mentioned that he was against the marriage. "Look, Mr. Potter. As dangerous as this marriage may seem to you, it's twice as dangerous to me. I'm the ex-wife of a Death Eater. To the Ministry, that is the same as being one. All of my old friends will become my new enemies. There is really no one, beyond myself, that I came trust at this point. By marrying you, I could very well be signing my own death warrant."

The realization that this marriage was actually going to happen hit Harry like a ton of bricks. He had hoped Narcissa would be as opposed as he was to getting married. But, with her eagerness to go through with it, and without Dumbledore's resistance, he was doomed. "Just when did you want to go through with this, anyhow?" Harry asked, sounding a bit defeated.

"There's no time like the present," Narcissa answered with a smile. She then turned to the small house-elf and said, "Olivia, will you tell Minister Dellborn that we will meet him in the library."

"Yes, Mistress," the elf said, then disappeared.

"Wait, you want to get married right now?" Harry asked, with a look of shock on his face.

"Of course. There is nothing to be gained from waiting. The sooner we do this the less opportunity our enemies will have to stop us. That's why I had you bring two witnesses with you," Narcissa answered. She then got out of her seat and headed for the door. Slowly, the three of them rose and followed her.

"Harry, you're not really going to marry her now, are you?" Hermione asked in a whisper, as they followed Narcissa out of the room.

"Do you have a better idea?" he shot back. "It's probably best to get this thing over and done with. At least if I do this now, I won't have to come back to this place in a month."

They all entered a small room on the second floor, together. An old wizard, wearing dark blue robes, was waiting for them. "Madam, I've been waiting nearly and hour for you. I was told that this wouldn't take more than a few minutes of my time," the old man said, obviously irritated by the delay.

"My apologies, Minister Dellborn. My betrothed and I had a few matter to discuss, first. I will gladly pay you for a full additional hour of your time," Narcissa told the wizard. The old man's mood improved immediately at the mention of extra money.

Narcissa walked over to an old style rolltop desk and removed a small dark-green box from one of its many drawers. She walked back over to Harry, held the box out to him, and said, "Here, these were for Andromeda's wedding but were never used because of her choice of a muggle-born for a husband." Harry took the box from her and opened it. Inside was a set of wedding rings. Two simple gold bands with small diamonds and rubies set all the way around each one.

"Don't worry about the ceremony. It the simplest marriage ritual there is. All you will have to do is say 'I do' and put the ring on my finger," Narcissa told him, then reached into the box, taking the larger of the two bands. "We're ready for you now, Minister," she told the old wizard.

As the old wizard took up position in front of them, Harry wondered how he had gotten into the Manor without the Order noticing him. He realized that Narcissa had planned to get married tonight back on Wednesday when she sent the invitation.

The old wizard cleared his throat and started. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here this evening to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. If anyone knows a reason why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace," the Minster asked. Harry looked back at Hermione and Ron. Both had confused looks on their faces, as if they weren't sure what to do.

"Very well," the Minister said, after no one answered. "Do you, Harry James Potter, take Narcissa Black to be your lawfully wedded wife?" he asked. Harry nervously looked back at his friends for an answer. Hermione just shrugged her shoulders at him.

Swallowing hard, Harry finally said, "I…I do."

After hearing his answer, the Minister turned to Narcissa and asked, "Do you, Narcissa Black, take Harry James Potter as your lawfully wedded husband?"

Without hesitation, she said, "I do." She reached out and took hold of Harry's hand and slipped the wedding band on his finger. Narcissa then held out her own hand to Harry. With trembling hands, Harry tried to put the ring on her finger. After almost dropping it twice, he managed to get it on.

"By the power granted to me by the British Wizarding Consul, I hereby pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride," the old wizard told him. Harry looked over at Narcissa with fear in his eyes. At only five-foot five she was at least two inches shorter than him. But, at that moment, she seemed larger that Hagrid. After apparently deciding that Harry wasn't going to make the first move, she leaned in and gave him a soft peck on the lips.

Narcissa walked back over to the desk and removed a small black bag from it. She then walked over to the wizard and said, "Here is an extra ten Galleons, Minister. I appreciate your help and patience in this matter."

"You're very welcome, Madam. Enjoy your honeymoon," the wizard said, as he took the small bag of coins and left the room.

Narcissa picked up a small bell off the desk and rang it once. With another 'Pop' the small house-elf reappeared. "Olivia, please show Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger out. Harry and I wish to have the rest of the evening to ourselves," she told the elf. That was first time she had called him Harry instead of Mr. Potter. He didn't like it.

"Please tell Professor Dumbledore that Harry will be spending the night here and will be back at Hogwarts tomorrow," she said to his two, still shocked-looking, friends as she took hold of his hand and pulled him from the room.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Fifteen minutes later, Harry was sitting on the end of a large bed in the master bedroom. A white bathrobe with the Black family crest lay next to him on the bed. Harry made no attempt to remove his clothes and put the robe on. He wanted desperately to flee this place as quickly as possible. He had considered breaking his replacement wand and leaving for the safely of Hogwarts.

The door to the bathroom opened and Narcissa entered the room. Harry's eyes widened with surprise at what she was wearing. It was a pink teddy that was barely thick enough to not be considered see-through. A normal guy like Flint would probably start drooling all over himself right about now. The teddy was cut so low in the front that her belly button almost showed. The bottom was so short that, if it were an inch higher above her long, smooth, beautiful legs, all of her would be exposed to him. Her beauty and nearly uncovered sexuality only made Harry's anxiety grow.

Narcissa held two goblets in her hands. As she approached Harry, she held one out and said, "Here, drink this. It will help you relax and keep your stamina up tonight." Normally, Harry would never accept a potion from her. But he was desperate for something to calm his nerves. Instead of taking the one she held out, he reached for the one in her other hand.

"I see that trust is still a issue with us," Narcissa said with a smile.

"It always will be," Harry said, as he brought the goblet to his lips and quickly drank the potion. Harry instantly felt warm all over. He could feel a tingling sensation in his fingers and toes.

After finishing her own, Narcissa took Harry's goblet and set them both on the table next to the bed. She walked back around to the front of the bed and stood only inches in front of him. "You seem very nervous, Harry. Might I assume that this is your first time being intimate with a woman, or girl for that matter?" Narcissa asked, as she placed her hands on Harry's chest.

"Y…Y...Yes," Harry tensely choked out.

Narcissa slid one of her hands down Harry's chest to the top of his jeans. Harry sucked in a panicky breath as her hand slipped into his jeans and began cupping his manhood. "Nice," she said, as Harry felt his erection rapidly grow under her soft caresses.

"Don't worry, Harry, even though its been years since Lucius has touched me, I still know how to please a man," Narcissa whispered into his ear. She withdrew her hand from his jeans and pushed him back onto the bed. She dropped to her knees in front of him and began to unbutton his jeans.

"What are doing?" Harry asked uncertainly, as he leaned forward while resting on his elbows.

"Sssshhhh," Narcissa said, as she pulled him free of his fly. What she did next sent jolts of pleasurable electricity throughout his body. All thoughts of Dark wizards, marriage laws, and pure-bloods were suddenly flushed from his mind.

An hour and a half later, Narcissa rolled off from on top of him and lay panting breathlessly at his side. Harry was near complete exhaustion. Six times he had risen to the occasion. Whatever that potion was, it sure had one hell of an effect. Harry didn't think he could go again without his heart exploding.

Narcissa turned towards him and draped one arm over his chest and said, "You were amazing, Harry. You're so much better thanyour father was at your age."

"WHAT!"

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Next chapter coming soon.

I know, a bit of a fade to black scene. I didn't want to take that big of a chance with the ratings yet. I'll save that for Hermione and Severus.

Here's a quick question for all of my reviewers. As you know I hinted that there was a chance that Sirius was still alive. Should I include a rescue mission in this story or leave him in the realm of the dead for now.


	13. The Power of Money

Author's Notes:

Hello to all readers and faithful reviewers. Your response to the last chapter was great. I'm so happy everybody liked Narcissa character. As for the question I asked, it was split nearly fifty, fifty on weather I should bring Sirius back. One reviewer made a very good point that I shouldn't do anything until Wormtail is caught. If I do decide to bring Sirius back, it won't be to the very end of this story.

Once again the Queen Goddess of the universe Nakhash Makashefah beta'd this chapter beautify for me. My Hagrid sounds like a Lawyer and she pulls him right back into character. The bitch is really good is what I'm trying to say.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 13. The power of Money.

Harry had a splitting headache as he made his way down the main staircase of Black Manor. He had awoken alone, twenty minutes earlier, in the master bedroom with a severe hangover. Even after a quick shower, his headache still remained.

He had to squint his eyes shut as he entered the dining room. All of the large window drapes had been opened. Bright sunshine filled the room. After his eyes had adjusted to the light, he noticed Narcissa sitting at the long table sipping orange juice and reading a stack of parchments. She wore light blue silk robes that seem to perfectly fit her form. Harry sat down in the chair next to her and poured himself a large glass of juice.

"You're up early. I didn't think you'd wake 'til noon. Not after that performance you gave last night," she said to him, without taking her eyes off the parchment she was reading.

"What did you give me last night?" Harry asked, as he rubbed his forehead. "I woke up feeling like I slept with a dirty gym sock in my mouth all night."

"Just something to guarantee last night was both successful as well as enjoyable," she answered.

"What do you mean successful?" Harry asked, sounding a little confused.

"Successful in achieving our goal, Harry," she said, as she looked up at him from her parchment. "You didn't expect me to leave it to chance, did you?"

"Do you mean you're already pregnant?" Harry nervously asked.

"Of course," she answered. "Our daughter should be born at the end of next spring." Harry anxiously took a large gulp of juice. He couldn't believe how fast things seemed to be changing.

"You know, I'm pretty sure it's the male who decides the sex of a child. My father only had a son and so did his dad. It might be a boy," he told her. Narcissa looked up at him as if he had a huge dunce cap on his head. Her look was a perfect mix of both McGonagall's impatience and Snape's antagonism. It made him feel like he'd just asked what a wand was used for.

"Potter, you really need to learn more about the Wizarding world. It's a witch's magic that determines the sex of a child. Not the male seed, like Muggles," she impatiently told him. " Besides, I've already checked. It's definitely a girl."

"What if the next one's a boy? Will you get rid of it and try for just daughters?" Harry asked. Right away, Harry knew he'd asked the wrong question. Narcissa just stared at him with a look of cold fury in her eyes.

"I would never give up other child, Potter. Not even if the Dark Lord himself was the father. No one will ever force me to do that again," she angrily stated through clenched teeth. Harry began to suspect that a lot more had happened in her marriage to Malfoy than she let on. She tried to act calm, but being married to a Death Eater for eighteen years must have taken its toll.

Deciding it was best to change the subject, Harry asked the real question that was on his mind. "Did you really mean what you said about my father last night?"

"What do mean?" she asked, giving him a confused look.

"Last night, just before you fell asleep. You said that I was better than my dad," he told her.

"Oh that. Of course I meant it. James was fast on more than just a broom. If you know what I mean," she mischievously said, with an evil smile on her face.

"You slept with my _father_?" Harry agitatedly shouted.

"As I already explained to you and your friends, there were very few wizards our own age for my sisters and I to socialize with when we were young," she told Harry.

"When did this happen?" Harry uneasily asked her.

"The same year as Bella and Sirius," she answered. "James and I weren't just going to sit around my Aunt's house all summer and watch my sister and Sirius paw at each other."

"I can't believe that you were once my Dad's girlfriend," Harry said in a disgraceful voice.

"James and I were never boyfriend and girlfriend. We were just bored that summer," she told him.

"Were you each other's first?" Harry asked.

Narcissa let out a snort of laugher and said, "Oh Merlin, no. James was well known for having two or three girlfriends at one time by then. I had a steady boyfriend named Claude Morties back at school at the time."

"Did you two ever do anything after that summer?" he asked her.

"No, not after the fiasco with Sirius and my sister," she answered. "I guess I should count myself lucky that I wasn't accidentally crushed under the weight of a four hundred pound stag." That brought a very disturbing picture to his mind. Harry wondered if his father ever had any accidents like Sirius.

"Enough about the past, Harry. We should be concentrating on the future," she said, trying to change the subject herself this time. "We have some financial matters that need to be discussed."

"I read the contract. It said I don't have to give you my money," Harry sharply told her.

Narcissa just smiled at him and said, "I married you for your blood, not your money, Harry."

"You had to marry me," Harry reminded her.

"Of course, I did," she agreed in a mocking tone. "It's the future of the Black estate we need to discuss, not yours. I was left with just the properties and their contents. The money in the Manor's personal vault will only last a year or two at most. I must liquidate some of the assets so that we can make investments that will rebuild the Black family fortune."

"What's that got to do with me?" Harry asked.

"Now that I'm marry again, wizard law requires that my husband co-sign any property sales or investments I make," she informed him.

"That doesn't sound fair," he told her.

"It isn't," Narcissa answered sounding bothered. "Unfortunately, wizards outnumber witches three to one in the Ministry's Legislature. The Ministry is still a patriarchy, for the most part."

"What will I have to do?" Harry asked.

"Just sign some papers once I have things arranged," she answered.

"Are you going to sell this house?" Harry asked, as he looked around.

"No, I will not sell the Manor. There are three other properties that belong to the Black estate. I plan to sell two of them. We have the Mediterranean Villa in the south of France, which I plan to keep. But the Swiss ski lodge in the Alps and the plantation in Jamaica will be sold," Narcissa informed him.

"How much are those worth?" Harry curiously asked.

"If I sell them both fast, I'll probably get about half a million Galleons for the two. Maybe another fifty thousand for their contents," she said.

"Wow, that much. I guess you won't have to worry about money for the rest of your life," he said to her. Narcissa just raised her eyebrow and gave him another McGonagall slash Snape look. "What, you don't think that's enough?" he asked.

"Of course it isn't enough," she told him. "Simply having enough to survive won't do. It takes a considerable fortune to gain any real kind of power, these days. Our family has enemies on all sides now. We will need to buy influence, in several different parts of the Ministry, if we are to survive," Narcissa seriously told him.

"You want to start bribing people?" Harry skeptically asked.

"That's the way it's done, Harry," she informed him. "There are several different ways to influence people. A direct bribe is useful if you need a certain kind of task done. Throwing lavish parties, then inviting the right people, is another."

"Sounds like a complete waste of money, if you asks me," Harry cynically told her.

"According to your financial records, it would appear that you're a very poor judge of what is and isn't a waste of money. I don't understand; how can a student confined to a school most of the year spend as much money as you do?" she incredulously asked.

"What are you on about? I spend hardly any money at all. I only take money out of Gringotts once each year. Just enough for my school supplies and to buy a few gifts for my friends on the holidays," Harry firmly told her.

"Not according to your Gringotts bank statement," Narcissa told him, as she pulled a parchment with a Gringotts logo on it out of the stack on the table.

"How did you get that?" Harry suspiciously asked her.

"I have some influence of my own," she said, as she as began to scan the parchment. "According to this, you spend all of the money that is transferred into your Muggle account each month."

"What Muggle account?" Harry asked, with a confused look on his face.

"The one you had for nearly fifteen years now," Narcissa answered, as she handed Harry the statement. "It's a standard child support account. It was probably meant to guarantee that your Muggle relatives could properly care for you."

Harry read the statement. Sure enough, there had been a monthly transfer of money to a Muggle bank in London. The transfers had started in November of 1981 with a monthly deposit of 150 Galleons. It had slowly increased over the years and was now up to 450 Galleons a month. That was about 2250 pounds a month. The account had three names on it. The first name was his, but the other two were Vernon and Petunia Dursley. It was obvious to Harry that his parents had set this up so that he would be well cared for without causing any financial burden to his caregiver. The transfers would continue until his eighteenth birthday.

Harry's hand began to tremble with rage as he study the parchment. Memories of all Dudley's birthday presents and the new car they always got every two years began to burn in his mind. What bothered him most was how his aunt and uncle always accused his mother and father of being deadbeat parents that forced them to take food out of their own child's mouth to feed him.

Narcissa let out a snort of laughter as she place a hand over her mouth. "What's so damn bloody funny?" Harry angrily asked.

"The expression on your face when you read that parchment. It was just priceless, Potter," she answered with a giggle. "To think, the boy who lived could be outsmarted by a couple of Muggles."

"There is nothing funny about having to live in a cupboard under the stairs for ten years," he heatedly told her. "They always told me how much better their lives would have been if I wasn't there. The truth is they were living a lot better because of me."

"The Ministry recognizes that you are of age now that you're married. If you wish, you can cancel transfers," she informed him.

"I'm of age now? Does that mean I can do magic outside of Hogwarts?" he asked.

"Of course," she simply answered.

Harry wished he knew how to Apparate. He had the sudden urge to go straight to Little Whinging, Surrey, and start hexing number four Privet Drive until there was nothing left but rubble. Unfortunately, a voice in the back of his mind told him it wasn't such a good idea. The voice sounded a lot like Dumbledore's. "How do I get the transfers to stop?" he finally asked.

"Just send a request by owl to Gringotts," she told him. Harry planned to do just that as soon as he reached Hogwarts.

The sudden flutter of wings took his attention off the bank statement. A large black raven entered the Dining Hall with a newspaper in it talons. Harry recognized it as the bird that had pulled a hunk of his hair out four days ago. "Ah, Moriarty has the morning _Prophet_," Narcissa said, as she took the newspaper from the bird. Harry instinctively put a hand on his head as the bird took off and flew out of the room. Narcissa just smiled at him as she unrolled the paper. "There should be an announcement of our marriage in the _Prophet_. The Ministry would have informed them as soon as the contract was consummated," she told him. Harry guessed that would have been just before nine the previous evening.

Narcissa's hands suddenly began to tremble as she read the front page of the _Daily Prophet_. Her face started to turn pink with rage. Her eyes were filled with fury. "THAT BASTARD!" she suddenly roared. "He and that son of a bitch, Fudge, had this planned all along." Narcissa furiously threw the paper down on the table and got out of her chair. She then began to pace back and forth while chewing the nails on her left hand. Harry picked up the paper off the table. He wanted to know what had upset her so much.

Harry let out a loud gasp as he saw the headline. He couldn't believe what he was reading.

_HERO RELEASED FROM AZKABAN!_

_Muggle sleuth helps free prominent wizard from life imprisonment._

Under the headline was a picture of Lucius Malfoy shaking Minister Fudge's hand. Harry continued to read the article, trying to find something that would make sense of this.

_Early this morning, Lucius Randolph Malfoy was released from Azkaban __Prison after evidence clearing him was presented to the Head Minister's __office. This evidence came from a very unlikely source. Desperate to __clear his name and regain his freedom, Mr. Malfoy employed the __services of a Muggle detective. In his trial, Malfoy had claimed that his __presence in the Ministry of Magic on the night of the Dark Lord's attack __was to try and apprehend the notorious mass murderer, Sirius Black._

_Malfoy testified that he had received information about Black's planned __break-in at the Ministry a week in advance. Malfoy said the reason he __went to apprehend Black, himself, was because the Ministry's Auror in __charge of Black case, Kingsley Shacklebolt, refused to believe him. _

_Malfoy claimed that he had fought Black to the death the night of the __attack on the Ministry. But Shacklebolt and other witnesses testified that __Black was never present at the battle. Without any proof to back up his __story, Malfoy was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment._

_Malfoy's proof showed up at the Head Minister's office earlier this week. __A Muggle detective named Warren Garth was able to prove to the Minister __that Black had been present on the night of the attack. The proof came in __the from of a Muggle identifying technique called fingerprinting. The __Ministry only started fingerprinting its criminals fifteen years ago, after __the first fall of the Dark Lord. __Using this fingerprint technique, Mr. Garth was able to establish that __Black had indeed been in the Ministry on the night of the attack. Upon __receiving this proof, Minister Fudge issued an order of release for __Mr. Malfoy. Since all other evidence pointing toward Mr. Malfoy's __involvement with Dark forces came through the same Aurors that had __testified that Black wasn't present at the Ministry, Head Minister Fudge __dropped all charge against Malfoy and granted a full pardon. _

_The Head __Minister's office has placed Auror Shacklebolt on administrative leave __until a full investigation into his testimony about Black can be completed. _

_Mr. Malfoy will find it hard to pick up the pieces of his life,when he returns home. Two months __ago, Ministry officials annulled Mr. Malfoy's marriage to his wife of __eighteen years. The former Mrs. Malfoy was betrothed to Harry Potter (The-Boy-Who-Lived,)by __the Ministry's controversial new blood law earlier this week. The Daily __Prophet received confirmation of the Potter-Black marriage late last night.__When asked if he would try to seek an annulment for the Potter-Black __marriage, Mr. Malfoy avowed that he would not. He told this reporter that __he was very disappointed in his former wife. He failed to see why she rushed __to betray him after eighteen years of faithful marriage. "Potter doesn't __deserve such a opportunistic succubus," Malfoy stated. This reporter must __agree with him. Continue on page A-4._

Harry lowered the paper in disbelief. He just couldn't understand how the Ministry would ever let Malfoy out of prison.

"I knew he and Cornelius were up to something. This whole thing was his idea, the annulment and the marriage law," Narcissa said, as she angrily paced. "I'm sure it wasn't just a coincidence that he was released the day after we consummated our marriage."

"Why would Malfoy want you to marry me?" Harry asked.

"I told you already that there was no divorce among purebloods. The annulment and our marriage have given him two things he couldn't have before. Freedom to marry whomever he wants and the Black estate," she angrily told Harry.

"How can he take the Black estate?" he asked.

"After the annulment, I was made sole heir to the Black estate. If I die before giving birth, everything goes to my closeness next of kin. That's…"

"Draco," Harry answered for her.

"Correct. And now that I'm married to you, Lucius will have the help of every Dark Wizard there isto kill me," Narcissa told him.

"Malfoy spent three months in Azkaban so that he could get an annulment and a shot at the Black estate," Harry said as he tossed the paper back on the table.

"I seriously doubt Lucius ever set foot on Azkaban Island. He's probably been holed up on someone's estate waiting for us to complete our contract," Narcissa said, sounding very annoyed. She sat back down in her seat and said in a cold voice, "Well, there's only one thing left to do; kill him."

"You want to kill Malfoy?" Harry asked, giving her a bewildered look.

"Of course. It's the only way we'll ever be safe. You should ask Dumbledore and his Order for help," she suggested.

"They're not killers. Even if they were, I doubt they'd be interested in helping the ex-wife of a Death Eater, even if she is my wife," Harry informed her.

"You're probably right. We'll just have to do this on our own," Narcissa said in a calculating voice.

"What's all this _we_ stuff? Malfoy's no more dangerous to me than any other Death Eater out there. He is your ex-husband; if you want him dead, you'll have to do it yourself," Harry told her.

"He's a threat to our unborn child. Don't you care about the safety of your own daughter?" she angrily asked him.

"Of course, I care. But not enough to just go kill somebody," Harry explained.

"If the safety on our child isn't enough, then how about revenge? Lucius murdered members of your and yourchild's family. Don't you want to see him pay for that?" Narcissa asked.

"That sound like a reason for you and Bellatrix, not me," Harry answered.

"Oh, I see my sister and niece didn't tell you everything about my parents' disappearance." Narcissa said, with a superior look on her face.

"What are you talking about," Harry asked with unease.

"When my parents' boat disappeared, my father's two business partners and their wives were with them," Narcissa told him.

"So?" he anxiously asked.

"My father's partners were Jonas McCray and Vincent Potter. Your grandparents were on that boat too, Harry," she informed him. Harry couldn't believe his ears. He knew his grandparents had died, but he had never asked how. Witches and wizards normally live to a ripe old age. Both his grandparents died in their late forties; he had always suspected Dark Wizards were involved.

"I'll go talk to Dumbledore. Maybe the Order can do something about Malfoy," Harry told her.

"_Maybe_ won't be good enough, Harry. Lucius will try to act as soon as possible. His own ego won't let him live with our marriage for very long. He won't be able to stand the thought of me with another man," she told him.

"I thought Malfoy wanted us married?" Harry asked.

"He will still see me as his property. Property that _you_ didn't pay for," she told him. "He'd rather I was dead than with someone else."

"I want to see Malfoy pay for what he has done. But I just can't go kill him, that's what a Death Eater would do. There has to be a better way to handle this," Harry told her.

"I'm open to any suggestions," Narcissa pretentiously said.

"We need to see what Dumbledore has to say before we do anything," Harry suggested.

"Maybe it would be best if I handle this," Narcissa told him. "After all, he is my ex-husband. Who knows him better than myself?" Harry knew she wouldn't wait for help from the Order. He still didn't know this woman very well and feared that he probably would never get the chance. The coldness in her voice told him she was bent on getting revenge. Nothing he could say would stop her. He didn't want to see Narcissa get herself killed, even if that did release him from their marriage. She carried his child within her now; he wondered how that would affect his feelings about her once it had sunk in.

"I need to get back to Hogwarts. I have tomorrows lesson's to revise for," he told her, after drinking the last of his juice.

"Very well. I'll see you next Saturday, Harry," she said, as she began to look though her stack of parchments once again.

"Saturday? Why Saturday? I thought we were done?" he asked.

"We have just started, Harry," Narcissa said in a calculating voice. "I will expected you here at nine o'clock next Saturday morning. You are married now, I will not have you neglecting your husbandly duties."

"What husbandly duties?" Harry asked.

"Sex," she answered. "I will not be neglected as I was with Lucius. Besides, as a young teenage wizard, you will need regular sexual release. Now that you're married, those teenage hussies back at that school are strictly off-limits," she warned. Even though she didn't say it, Harry had the feeling she might hex a piece of his anatomy off if she caught him with another girl.

"Do you think you'll be safe here for the next week? Maybe an Order member should stay with you." Harry suggested, as he stood up.

"I'm quite safe inside the Manor, Harry. It has the strongest wards know. Not even Riddle could get through the gates if I didn't wish it. I'm also an expert with a wand. The only one who has ever bested me was my sisterBella when we were fifteen, and she only did it once," Narcissa informed him. Harry remembered how well Bellatrix fought with a wand. She defeated Tonks, Sirius, and Kingsley in one-on-one duels in the Death Chamber. She was even able to deflect Dumbledore's spell. If Narcissa was better than her sister, Harry would really have to watch himself around his new wife.

"Well, goodbye then," Harry said, as he pulled his replacement wand out of his back pocket. Not knowing quite what to do next, Harry hesitated before quickly leaning down and giving Narcissa a peck on the cheek. She just looked up at him with a puzzled expression on her face. He snapped the wand in two before she could say anything.

Moments later, Harry stood in front of Hogwarts' main gates. Several students were very surprised to see him appear out of thin air. Harry ignored the strange looks he was receiving and went through the gates. Minutes later, he entered the Gryffindor common room. To Harry, it felt so good to be home.

"Harry," a voice called from behind him. Harry turned to see Ginny standing behind him with the strangest expression on her face. He was just about to ask her if something was wrong when Ginny stepped forward and placed both her hands on his shoulders. Without any warning, Ginny fired a hard knee into his groin. All the air in his lungs shot out his mouth and nostrils. Harry instinctively covered his crotch with both hands and slammed his knees together. As his eyes began to tear and his vision started to blur, he saw Ginny rear back with one of her arms and aim a fist at him. Just as he realized what she was going to do, Ginny threw the punch straight at his nose. Harry heard the sound of his glasses being crushed just before everything went black.

Twenty minutes later, Harry woke up in the infirmary with a broken nose, two black eyes, and a fire in his balls.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Just after lunch, Hermione made her way down the cobblestone path toward Hagrid's hut. She planned to milk as much information about Snape out of Hagrid as she could get. Getting information out of the half-giant was never too difficult. Hagrid also seemed to be the only one at Hogwarts, besides Dumbledore, who actually liked Professor Snape. Every time someone accused Snape of something evil, Hagrid was always quick to defend him.

Hermione knocked twice on the cabin's door; she heard Fang make a low wolf sound from inside. The oversized door swung open and Hagrid filled the doorway. "Afternoon, Hermione. What can I do fer yeh?" the half-giant asked with a smile.

"Good afternoon, Hagrid. I was wondering if I could have a quick word with you?" she politely asked.

"Sure thin'. Hermione. Step inside, I'll put onna kettle," Hagrid answered. Hermione followed him inside. The smell of cooked pheasants and ham filled her nostrils. A large steak of green dragon meat lay on top of his scrubbed wood table. The piece of meat had to more than three hundred pounds. Hermione guessed that it was Grawp's dinner."Harry 'n' Ron aren't with yeh?" Hagrid asked, as he poured water into a kettle.

"No, Harry's in the infirmary and Ron's with Ginny in McGonagall's office," she told him.

"Harry's in the infirm'ry? He hasn' been attacked, has he?" Hagrid asked, with a look of concern on his face.

"No, he wasn't attacked - well, not really. Ginny just showed him her displeasure about his sudden overnight wedding," Hermione informed him.

"Can't say I didn' see that comin'. Reminds me of the time Molly caught the fella she was seein' with a Hufflepuff forth year. She put Edgar Bones in the infirm'ry fer a week. He continued teh limp fer the rest o' that year. I guess Harry's lucky little Ginny haslittle o' her father's restraint," Hagrid said, as he placed the kettle over the small fire.

Hermione wouldn't call what Ginny did restraint. Still she felt bad forGinny and hoped that McGonagall wasn't to hard on her.

"So, Hermione, what can I do fer yeh today?" Hagrid asked, as he sat down in his oversized chair.

"I wanted to talk to you about Professor Snape. I'm hoping to understand why he is the way he is. You've known him since his first day at Hogwarts; I was wondering if you could tell me a little about him?" Hermione asked with a slight nervousness to her voice.

"Well, I've known Professor Snape a lot longer than his firs' year at Hogwarts. Matter o' fact, I was standin' not ten feet away when Tasha gave birth teh little Sever. I helped Pomfrey clean the little fella off. He may not say much now, but blimey did he have a set o' lungs on him when he firs' showed up," Hagrid told her with a smile.

"Little Sever?" Hermione asked.

" Well, that's wha' I use teh call him. That pompous bag o' manure father o' his didn' see fit teh give his son a proper name," Hagrid said, with a touch of resentment. Hermione could tell there was bad blood between Hagrid and Snape's father.

"You didn't care for Professor Snape's father?" she asked.

"No one did. I never met a more arrogant bastard in all me life. Max was abou' as vile as they come. He treated ev'ryone he met like a house-elf. Even Tasha, his own wife, weren't nothin' but another servant teh him. That man single-handedly destroyed the Snapes' good name. He left his only son teh live with the mess he created," Hagrid angrily said.

"You knew the Snape family?" Hermione asked.

"O' course. My father used teh work fer Samuel Snape, tha's the Professor's granddad. I myself was born on Thunder Island," Hagrid answered.

"Thunder Island, what that?" Hermione anxiously asked.

"Thunder Island, tha's where Castle Redstone is. The ancestral home o' the Snapes," Hagrid told her.

"Redstone, I've heard of that. It suppose to be older than Hogwarts," Hermione said.

"Aye, she's Hogwarts' mother. Ravenclaw designed Hogwarts after the home she grew up in," Hagrid said.

"Ravenclaw was a Snape?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"Yes, she was one of the first. And every Snape tha' has ever come teh Hogwarts has always been in her house. Well,with one exception, that is," Hagrid informed her.

"Hagrid, do you know why Professor Snape ended up in Slytherin?" Hermione asked.

"I think it had a lot teh do with his father. Max had a way of gettin' on people's bad sides, you see. He was always like that. Even back at Hogwarts, he treated mostpeople like dirt, especially Tom 'n' me. He thought the other three houses were jus' places where servants and criminals were trained. If you weren't a Ravenclaw, you were not'in.He once told Tom that Slytherins were just a pack o' thieves," Hagrid told her.

"Tom? You mean Tom Riddle?" Hermione fearfully asked.

"Yeah, me 'n' Tom was sortamates up 'til my third year. After that, Tom let that bloody prefect's badge go teh his head, then he started teh show his true colors. Suddenly, I weren' a good enough friend, anymore. He preferred that group o' Slytherin lowlifes that wouldn' give him the time o' day the first four years he was in was their house," Hagrid bitterly said.

"Max Snape hated Volde… I mean Riddle?" Hermione asked.

"Max 'n' Tom were always in competition with each other. Tom hated Max because he thought Max had all the breaks. He came from a rich, powerful wizard family and was considered a genius before he ever set foot in Hogwarts. Tom didn' have anythin' and had teh work very hard teh gain the professors' respect. Every time Tom did somethin' jus' as well or better than Max, Max would always say it was justSlytherin trickery," Hagrid told her. "Wha' really sent Tom over the edge was when Max was offered Head-Boy."

"I thought Riddle was Head-Boy when he was at Hogwarts?" Hermione asked, sounding confused.

"Tha's because Max turned it down. Max said he didn' want teh waste his time bein' an unpaid employee fer the school. The arrogant bastard always reminded Tom that he was the Headmaster's secon' choice. I sometimes wonder wha' Tom would've turned out like if Max hadn' tormented him all those years," Hagrid said with a little regret in his voice.

"What's this got to do with ProfessorSnape ending up in Slytherin?" Hermione impatiently asked.

"When You-Know-Who firs' started causin' trouble, Dumbledore went around teh all the top wizards 'n' witches askin' fer help teh fight the Dark Wizard. At that time, we didn' know who You-Know-Who was. Only a few joined Dumbledore's fight; they were the start o' the Order," Hagrid said.

"Did Max Snape join the Order?" Hermione asked.

"No. The bigheaded arse said Dark Wizards had nothin' teh do with him. Max's true enemy was the Ministry. He was always fightin' with them abou' somethin'. He once accused the Head Minister o' bein' a thief when the Ministry refused to enforce one o' his potion patents. Only when Dumbledore discovered that You-Know-Who was Tom, did Max agree teh help the Order, if'n you call it help," Hagrid told her. "Wha' he really did was use the Order as guinea pigs fer his potions. Max came up with some ingenious potions to help the Order fight You-Know-Who. But mos' the time he forgot teh mention the side effects. His Invisibility Potion worked fer six hours but left you with boils fer a week. An' his Strength Potion was so powerful that it wouldn' wear off fer a month. A simple handshake usually ended up in a few broken bones."

"If his potions were so bad, why did the Order use them?" she asked.

"'cause they worked and the Order needed them. Max was the only Potions Master helpin' the Order. We were desperate fer his help. Some o' his potions were bloody brilliant. His Flies Life potion was a godsend. It would speed yer reflexes up so fas' that everyone else seem teh move in slow-motion," Hagrid said.

"Flies Life potion? I've never heard of that," Hermione said.

"That's 'cause Max was a selfish tosser. He kept all his potions formulas a secret. The paranoid arse was afraid someone else would take credit fer his work. When Max died, he took all his potions teh the grave with him. The Order took a lot o' losses after that," Hagrid resentfully said.

"How did he die? My marriage contract said he died the same day as his wife. Were they both together," Hermione asked.

"Yeah, they died in an explosion together. Max was workin' on a potion that would stop You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters right in their tracks. This potion was supposed teh make whoever took it immune form the Unforgivable Curses forever. Tasha was the only person Max trusted teh assist in his lab at Redstone; one night there was some kind o' accident and the entire lab was destroyed. No one knows what really happened; the castle wards closed up tight as soon as Max died. Thunder Island vanished right out o' the sea and has never been seen since. Luckily, little Sever was staying with his grandmother at the time or he would have been lost too" Hagrid told her.

"What does any of this have to do with Snape being a Slytherin?" Hermione asked, trying to get Hagrid back on track.

"Well, by the time o' his death, Max's feud with the Ministry had gone from bad teh worse. He even stopped payin' his taxes and told everyone the Ministry was so corrupt that it should jus' be dissolved. After his mysterious death, the ministry began to attack Max's name. They said he was in league with You-Know-Who and was tryin' teh raise an army teh overthrow the Ministry. No one in the Order was a big fan of Max's, but we didn' like what the Ministry was doin'. Especially when they suggested that Tasha was also a Death Eater. Dumbledore wanted to clear Max and Tasha's names but he was afraid of givin' away the Order. I thought he made the right decision, until little Sever showed up at Hogwarts."

"What happened?" Hermione anxiously asked.

"Those were bad times, Hermione. In bad times even good people can do bad things," Hagrid sorrowfully told her. He let out a low sigh before continuing, "Ever since he was five, little Sever always wore nothin' but black. When he got on the Hogwarts Express for his firs' year, he was dressed in black head tah toe. Soon, there was a rumor on the train that the son of a famous Death Eater was on broad. From what I was told, a group o' students confronted Sever jus' before the train reached Hogsmeade station. Yeh have teh remember, Hermione, tha' some o' those kids had lost one or both parents teh Death Eaters. James had lost his favorite uncle only a week earlier," Hagrid regretfully told her.

"What did they do to him?" she asked.

"They accused him o' bein' a Death Eater. It didn' help that he dressed the part. Sever denied it, o' course, but they wanted proof. They wanted teh check him fer any signs of a Dark Mark. Sever didn' want teh cooperate, so a fight broke out. At ten against one, Sever didn' stand a chance. I didn' know anythin' had happen 'til I came up with an empty seat on a boat. There were supposed to be seventy-six new firs' years and I only counted seventy-five. Every now and then a student will fall asleep on the train and not wake up. So I went back teh the train teh check.

After checking the train fer my missin' firs' year, I spotted somethin' small and pink under one o' the station's benches. It was little Sever, curled up in a ball; naked as the day he was born. It took some coachin', but I finally got him teh come out from under the bench. He was soaking wet and nicked up a touch; I guess they decided he needed a swim in the lake. He wouldn' tell what had happen teh him. When I asked where all his clothes and things were, he jus' pointed towards the lake. A third year Hufflepuff girl, who was the last one off the train, lent me one o' her nightshirt so that Sever would have somethin' teh wear on the boat ride teh Hogwarts.

By the time I got him across the lake and into the Great Hall, the Sortin' was over and the feast had already begun. Professor McGonagall had teh bring the Sortin' Hat back out fer Sever. There he was, standin' in front o' the entire school, half soaked, wearin' a girl's pink nightshirt with yellow daisies on it. It took Professor Dumbledore five minutes teh get all the students teh stop laughin' at him. I don' know what kind o' hateful things were goin' though his mind at the time, but McGonagall didn' get the Sortin' Hat within five feet o' him before it shouted out Slytherin," Hagrid sadly said.

"That sounds horrible. Did you ever catch who did that to him?" Hermione asked, with a sympathetic look on her face.

"Yeah, we did. They all admitted it," Hagrid answered. "Yeh have teh remember, Hermione, everyone thought the Snapes wereevilDark Wizards. The only ones that knew different were the Order and the Death Eaters. Most o' the school hated Sever fer bein' somethin' that he weren'."

"Sounds like he had it pretty bad when he was at Hogwarts," Hermione said.

"Yeah, he spent a very lonesome seven years here, that's fer sure. Dumbledore 'n' me tried teh keep an eye on him the best we could. He was a tough kid anyway, and he really did love it here; I think it reminded him o' his home. And none o' the students evertreated him as bad as Max did, not even James 'n' Sirius," Hagrid said to her.

"Didn't he have any friends in Slytherin?" she asked.

"Nah, the Slytherins all thought he belonged in Ravenclaw. They said he was too much a bookworm teh be in Slytherin," Hagrid told her.

"I can relate to that. People are always saying that I should have been in Ravenclaw," Hermione said.

"Nonsense, I've seen yeh teh do things Godric himself would have thought twice about. And the Professor is sneakier than Salazar ever hoped teh be," Hagrid said with a smile.

"Hagrid, do you know why Professor Snape became a Death Eater?" Hermione seriously asked.

"I think that best come from the horse's mouth," Hagrid suggested.

"I don't think it's a good idea for me to talk to Snape right now. Did you hear what happened yesterday morning between him and my parents?"

"O' course, Professor McGonagall told the whole staff about it - three times. She said yer dad really laid one on him," Hagrid cheerfully said.

"It was actually a three-way draw; no one really won. I just know it's almost impossible to talk to him without it turning into a fight of some kind," Hermione said.

"The Professor can be a real pain in the arse at times. He's got a lot o' his father in him, but he has his mother's heart. And I haven' met a finer woman than Tasha. Not that that Troll-Slug she married ever noticed," Hagrid irritably stated. Hermione had the sneaky suspicion that Hagrid might have had a crush on Mrs. Snape. It would explain why he hated Snape's father so much.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Hermione continued to discuss Professor Snape with Hagrid for another hour. After choking down one of his rockcakes and two cups of tea, Hermione decided that she had gotten all the information about Snape that Hagrid had to offer. She politely said her goodbyes and headed back to the school.

On her way up the path, she went over what she had learned from Hagrid in her head. She knew Snape had had an unhappy childhood. She knew that already from Harry. The fact that he came from a long line of Ravenclaws, and even Rowena herself, was news. Hermione found it hard to picture Snape as anything but a Slytherin; he was even Head of Slytherin. Did what happen to him on his first trip to Hogwarts change him that much? Or was he always going to be a Slytherin? The more Hermione thought about what she had been told, the more questions she had.

As she reached the fork in the path that led to the Quidditch pitch, Hermione saw a lone figure carrying a broom approach. As soon as she recognized the blond Slytherin, she pulled out her wand. Draco seemed to be concentrating on the new Firebolt Two in his hands and didn't notice her until he was just ten feet away.

Finally taking his attention off the racing broom, Draco looked up and stopped in the middle of the path. A wicked smile crept its way across his face as he recognized her. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? It's Potter's little Mudblood, out here all by herself," Draco evilly said to her.

"Well, if it isn't Lucius Malfoy 2.0, perverted rapist wannabe," Hermione fired back. By the confused look on his face, she could tell the 2.0 crack was lost on him. "Where's your goon squad, Malfoy? It's not like you to travel around without your shadows ready to protect your pompous arse," Hermione sarcastically asked.

"They're in the dungeon cleaning my room. I just came out to give my brand new broom a try. How about you, Mudblood, care for a ride on my broom stick?" Draco sardonically suggested.

"I would rather perform the Killing Curse on myself than let a sick freak like you near me," Hermione said, with a disgusted look on her face.

Draco just smiled and said, "That's too bad, because I really do like Mudblood virgin pussy. Especially the scream you Mudbloods let out as I force my way in. It's a shame that you're only good for one fuck. After I finished with the last one, I couldn't even give her away to Crabbe and Goyle."

With fury in her eyes, Hermione tightened her hand around her wand. She couldn't believe Draco would dare throw Pansy in her face. "You will pay for what did to her, Malfoy. No matter how long it takes, you will pay!" Hermione angrily stated.

"You should be more concerned about what I'm going to do to you, Mudblood," Draco threatened. "What I did to that piece of shit imposter will seem like a picnic in comparison." Hermione couldn't believe the arrogant little shithead would threaten her here, right out in the open. She quickly looked around and noticed that no one was in sight. Anything could happen and no one would hear or see a thing. A huge sinful smile appeared on her face. "What's so funny, Mudblood?" Draco asked, with a puzzled look on his face.

"What we have here, Draco, is a glass half empty-half full situation. It's half empty for you, because you left Dumb and Dumber back in the dungeon. It's half full for me, because my friends aren't here to stop me from kicking your arse," Hermione said, with an evil smirk on her face.

"And what makes you think that a filthy Mudblood such as yourself could ever take me?" Draco mockingly asked.

"It's very simple, stupid. We had a nice chat with your mother last night. She told us your limp dick father was shit with a wand. And since you're only half the man he is, you're probably double-shit with yours," Hermione informed him with a smile.

"SHUT YOUR FILTHY MOUTH, YOU MUDBLOOD WHORE!" Draco angrily spat, as he took two menacing steps towards her.

Hermione pointed her wand at his chest and he stopped. "How moronic of you, Draco. Bringing a broom to a wand fight," Hermione said, as she kept her wand trained on him. Draco looked down at the broom in his hands. "I'd be willing to bet that you stuck your wand deep inside your Quidditch boot, like an idiot, before you came down her. Am I right?"

Hermione knew she was correct as soon as he looked nervously down at his feet. "You really are too stupid to be a Slytherin; you know that, Malfoy," she disrespectfully told him. "They should start a fifth house formorons like you Crabbe and Goyle. It should be called Malfoy House and have a horse's arse as a mascot."

"YOU BITCH!" Draco shouted, then raised his broom in the air like a club.

Hermione quickly pointed her wand at the center of the broom and shouted, "_Totalus Scalpi_." The severing hex cut the broom in half. The back half of the broom fell over and landed on Draco's head. He staggered backward a couple of steps and placed his left hand on top of his head. Draco looked in amazement at the front half of his broom he still held. He began to tremble with rage. "THAT WAS A FIFTEEN HUNDRED GALLEON BROOM, YOU CUNT!" he shouted at her.

"YOU CAN BILL ME, YOU ARSE!" Hermione shouted back.

"AAAAHHHHH!" Draco screamed, as her charged her.

Hermione took direct aim at the charging Slytherin and yelled, "_Magnitudo Descresci_." The orange blast of light from her wand tip knocked Draco off his feet. He quickly got back up and said, "Is that the best you got, bitch; I barely felt it," Draco angrily shrieked at her.

"It wasn't meant to hurt, stupid. Let's just say it will broaden your perspective of the world around you," Hermione cruelly told him. Suddenly, Draco began to quiver; his body began to shrink inside his own clothes. Within seconds, he was reduced to the size of a house-elf.

"What did you do to me?" Draco screamed in a very high-pitched cartoon voice.

"It's a shrinking spell I invented," she answered. "It still needs more work. You should have started shrinking right away."

"You filthy Mudblood bitch!" Draco squeaked at her. He then began to dig through his ridiculously oversized clothes, apparently trying to reach the wand in his boot.

Hermione raced over to Draco and picked him up by the back of his collar. As soon as she lifted him in the air, he began to thrash about, clawing at her with his wee hands. Both his boots stayed on the ground where he had stood. Hermione threw the Mini-Draco over her shoulder and then bent down and picked up the front half of his broom. "I'm going to do what your mother should have done a long time ago," Hermione forcefully stated, as she walked over to a large rock. She sat down on the rock and pulled the struggling blond munchkin off her shoulder. She then forced him over her knee, Draco continue to squeak obscenities at her. Keeping one hand on the back of his neck, she used the other to pull both his oversized trousers and underwear down to his knees. Hermione picked the broom handle back up and took aim on his perfectly white little cheeks. With as much force as she could muster, Hermione began to wale on Mini-Draco's virgin arse.

Draco's obscenities were quickly replaced by cries of pain. For a full minute, she hammered away at his butt. She only stopped when her arm was too tired to swing anymore. Draco had been reduced to a sobbing toddler. Hermione looked at his bright red arse. She just wished there was a way to make this more permanent. She decided to flip him the other way so she could use her fresh arm. "Time for round two, Dirtbag!" Hermione said, as she raised the broom handle in her opposite hand.

"Miss Granger, what on earth do you think you're doing?" came an angry voice from behind her. Hermione turned to see the irate face of Professor McGonagall standing there.

"Aaahhh bullocks," Hermione said in frustration.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Next chapter coming some.

Thank you for reading. Now please review.

It has always bothered me that his parents left nothing for his care. I really dothink the Dursleys got something to help raise Harry.

Here's another question for my readers. What should Harry do about the Dursleys cheating him? Should he find away to get them back or just forget about the whole thing?


	14. Getting to know you

Author's Notes:

I want to thank everyone for reviewing. And to ContemporaryManner, yes I have heard of W.I.K.T.T on yahoo, I'm a member. This story is a wiktt challenge. I do put update on that site when I write a new chapter. But these chapters I'm loading on fac fition are not new, just re-edited. New chapters won't start until chapter 22.

As for my question: almost everyone wanted Harry to get some kind of pay back. Since the Dursleys did give Harry food, clothing, and a place to live, they technically held up their end of the bargain as caregivers and could spend the money anyway they saw fit. Remember, his parents probably had Sirius in mind when they set up the account. So Harry can't sue; he'll just have to find a more personal lesson to teach them.

This chapter was eventually Beta'd by Nakhash Mekashefah. I'm thoroughly addicted to her great skills as a proofreader and editor. I can only hope that she loses both legs in a car accident so that she is always at her computer to help me.

Nakhash would like to say that if this actually occurs, she promised to beat the holy crap out of Pink with her prostheses.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 14. Getting to know you.

It was near dusk when Draco entered Malfoy Manor. His father had just summoned him from Hogwarts. It had been nearly five months since he had seen his father last; a lot of changes had taken place in the meantime, the absence of his mother being the biggest. His father told him that mothers were just for children, which is something Draco no longer considered himself.

"Welcome home, Master Draco," two house-elves greeted in unison as they both shook with fear.

"Where is my father?" Draco demanded as he threw his cloak at the two frightened elves.

"Master Malfoy is in the library, Master Draco," one of the terrified elves answered. "The Master has requested that Master Draco come see him as soon as you arrive."

Draco promptly kicked one of the elves out of his way and headed for the main stairs. He slowly ascended the staircase. Even after a week, he was still very sore from the humiliating assault Granger had perpetrated upon him. With every painful step he vowed vengeance against the filthy Mudblood. Draco couldn't believe that old hag McGonagall only gave her a week's detention for the attack. He had laid awake at night over the past week, just daydreaming about what it would be like to break her, then finally choke the life out of the bitch.

Draco entered the large library to see his father standing next to a desk reading a piece of parchment. "Welcome home, father. How was your summer with Aunt Beatrice?" Draco boldly asked as he approached his father.

"My summer was quite dreadful, thank you," Lucius answered in an annoyed voice. "My sister can be both maddening and a bore at the same time. Half of the time, I wished that I had chosen Azkaban instead of her Estate to wait for my plan to develop. At least in prison I would have been afforded some peace and quiet."

"Sorry to hear that, father. I'm happy that you have returned with your name cleared," Draco told his father.

"I see by these financial statements that you have been celebrating my return a week in advance. In just under two weeks you have spent in excess of ten thousand Galleons. Would you care to explain this, Draco?" Lucius said in an accusing tone.

"I was simply playing my role as new heir to the family fortune. It would have looked very suspicious if I didn't go on some kind of spending spree," Draco calmly answered. If there was one thing his father taught him well, it was to always have an answer for your crimes.

"Three thousand Galleons for two Firebolt Two racing brooms? Why did you feel you needed more than one?" his father impatiently asked.

"I had only intended to buy one broom, father. Unfortunately, the first one I bought was damaged beyond repair due to the carelessness of another Quidditch player, the first day I had it. If I had gone back to using my old broom, it would have been an insult to our family's pride," Draco answered. He had no intention of ever telling his father, or anyone else, what a fool the Mudblood had made of him.

"As of this moment your freelance spending days are over, Draco," Lucius firmly told him. "I did not spend three months with that cow of a sister of mine, trying to secure you a fortune of your own, just to have you spend mine."

"I did do as you asked father. I made sure Mother was out of here with nothing more than the clothes on her back," he told his father.

"Do not call her that, Draco," Lucius angrily warned. "She is not your blood. She was merely a receptacle necessary for your birth. You owe her no more loyalty than you do to the house-elves that helped raise you."

"I understand, father. I have no intention of ever seeing her again," Draco stated. "The way she disgustingly went after Potter so quickly proves she's everything you ever said she was."

"She is our enemy now, Draco. You would do well to remember that. She will have to be dealt with soon if my plan is to succeed. She is cunning enough to guess what my intentions are. She is also ruthless enough to strike at us first. You must be very careful in the near future, Draco. Narcissa will not hesitate in killing you now that she sees you as a threat to her," Lucius informed him.

"I will be careful, father, all though I will miss the sweets and cakes she always sent," Draco disappointedly told his father.

"Narcissa never sent you any of those, Draco. I've had one of the house-elves doing that," Lucius informed him. "It will now have to stop since you no long have a mother to send them to you." Draco was very disappointed to hear this. Not that it wasn't his mother sending them to him, he was disappointed that he would no longer have the sweets and cakes to help bribe Crabbe and Goyle.

"Draco, we have much to do in the next couple of months. It will take a lot of skill and a little luck if we are to frame Potter for your mother's murder. Next Saturday, I want you to bring Miss Parkinson to the Manor with you," Lucius ordered.

"Why on earth would you want me to bring that Mudblood here?" Draco anxiously asked.

"Because, my dear boy, she is our ticket inside Dumbledore's Order. She is to be wed to Potter's closest friend. It's very possible that most, if not all, of the Weasleys are in Dumbledore's Order; Parkinson will be invaluable to us," Lucius told his son.

"She is no longer any use to us, father. I was not going to have a Mudblood stain Slytherin's good name. I made sure she was removed," Draco firmly stated.

"That was very foolish of you, boy. She was an asset to be used; when will you learn that everything has its worth? You made the same mistake by not befriending Potter in your first year," Lucius heatedly scolded. Lucius let out a disappointed sigh and put the parchments he was holding on the desk. He looked at Draco with his cold gray eyes and said, "Maybe it's not too late. She has been your friend for over ten years. You could tell her that you had to pretend to dislike her so that Weasley and Potter would begin trust her."

"It won't work, father. She is no longer at Hogwarts. She is a virtual catatonic now, anyway. I'm surprised she hasn't taken her own life yet," Draco said with a proud smirk.

"Just what did you do to her, Draco?" his father asked in an irritated voice.

"I did what you taught me to do with Mudblood filth like her, father," Draco answered.

"YOU DID THAT INSIDE OF HOGWARTS?" Lucius angrily shouted.

"I was very careful. We used secret passageways to trap her in an abandoned room. I set up silencing charms in advance so that no one could hear her screams. And she did scream, father - just like a stuck pig. She was even a virgin at the time, it was better than I imagined it evercould be," Draco said with a sick sense of enjoyment.

"You foolish child!" Lucius said heatedly, through clinched teeth. "How many times have I told you? Never shit where you eat. Dumbledore and the Weasleys are probably coddling the girl now. It's only a matter of time before she talks. You should have at least killed her."

"I truly didn't think she would survive what I did to her, father. Not to worry though, I made sure Pansy knew that she would be dealing with the Dark Lord if she betrayed me," Draco confidently told his father.

"What? You didn't show her your Mark, did you?" Lucius anxiously asked his son.

"Of course," Draco simply answered.

With lighting speed, Lucius stepped forward and struck his son hard across the face with the back of his hand. The force of the blow sent Draco crashing to the ground. "YOU IMBECILE. I SHOULD KILL YOU FOR SUCH STUPIDITY," Lucius roared at him. "I have just spent a considerable amount of our family's fortune convincing the Ministry that this family has nothing to do with dark magic. All of that will be wasted if it's known that my only son carries the Dark Lord's Mark."

"Even if she tells, no one will believe her. She's just a filthy Mudblood," Draco said as he wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Our enemies will believe her and they will try to use her against us," Lucius furiously said as Draco got up off the floor. "This mess is your making, Draco, and I will expect you to clean it up. The girl must be killed as soon as possible."

"How can I do that? She's not even at Hogwarts anymore." Draco asked.

"She is most likely at that hovel the Weasleys call a home. Take whatever help you can get, then sneak out of Hogwarts and kill her and anyone else that is present at the Weasleys' home. Destroy everything. Leave nothing for the Aurors to scrutinize," Lucius ordered. "It's time you demonstrated that you deserve that Mark on your arm, Draco. It's time you proved yourself to be a true Malfoy."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was late Sunday afternoon when Harry returned from his second trip to Black Manor. The sex, which he had enjoyed on his wedding night, was very different this time around. Narcissa insisted on bringing him to the edge just to deny him release. She told him it was part of his training and that he had to learn to keep pace with her. She said that any future wives he may have would one day thank her for it.

He had spent most of the weekend exploring Black Manor. The history of the Black bloodline filled each hallway and corridor. He found several tapestries with slightly different versions of the Black family tree on them. It would seem that once a family member was disowned, they would not appear on the next tapestry. When he finally found a three hundred year old tapestry, he got a good idea just whom the Blacks were related to. He was surprised that nearly every pureblood family he knew showed up. Even the Potters had shown up twice. Harry was beginning to believe that maybe this marriage law did have some merit to it.

He made his way down the school corridors on his way to Gryffindor Tower. As he passed by the corridor that led to the kitchens, Harry saw a lone figure on her hands and knees scrubbing the floor with a large brush. He had put this off for a week but thought it was about time he resolved it. "Hey, Ginny," he said as he approached the redhead. Ginny just looked up at him with a tired expression on her face. "I was wondering if we could talk about what happened last week?" Harry asked.

"There's nothing to talk about, Harry. You got married so I hit you. Then I got two weeks detention and my Prefect badge taken away," Ginny glumly answered.

"I want to talk about why you hit me, Ginny," Harry said.

"You mean, you still don't know?" Ginny fretfully asked as her eyes began to water.

"Well, I know now. I just didn't know then," Harry awkwardly answered.

"How could you not know how I felt? It was so obvious to everyone else." Ginny dejectedly asked.

"I'm sorry, Ginny," Harry said as he knelt down on one knee next to her. He reached out and took hold of one of her pruned, dishwasher hands. "Ginny, do you know what my greatest wish in the world is?"

"To defeat Voldemort," Ginny answered.

"No. It's to have the family that he stole from me. Ever since I met you, Ron, and your brothers, I felt that I had gotten back some of the family that was stolen from me. I used to lie at night in my cupboard under the stairs, just fantasizing about what it would be like to have real brothers and sisters of my own. Family that care wheather I lived or died. Yours is the family that I always dreamed of, Ginny. Your mom is the closest thing to a mother that I will ever have. You're the sister that I always wanted and I never want to give that up. I could always find a girlfriend, or even a wife, but there's only one person in the world that will ever be good enough to my sister - that's you, Ginny" Harry emotionally said as tears began to roll down his cheeks. "I don't think I could take it if you stopped wanting to be that for me."

Ginny just stared at Harry with her huge brown eyes that had begun to tear. "I'm sorry for hitting you, Harry. I knew you didn't have a choice but I just couldn't help it. I thought that you thought I wasn't good enough for you," she said through her tears.

"That's ridiculous, Ginny. You're one of the smartest and most beautiful witches in the whole world. I see how all the other guys in school look at you. I sometimes feel like tearing their heads off for staring at my little sister that way," Harry said, trying to reassure her. He wasn't lying about the way the other male students looked at her. On a number of occasions he had heard her name being mentioned, right along with Parvati and Cho, as to who was the best looking witch in Hogwarts.

"So there no chance you'll ever see me as anything more than a sister?" Ginny sadly asked as she wiped the tears from her face.

"I really don't want to see you as anything more that a sister, Ginny," Harry answered. "But I'm only sixteen now. Who knows how I'll feel in five years." This brought a smile to Ginny's face, a smile that Harry had really missed for the past week.

"Can you forgive me for what I did, Harry?" she pleadingly asked. "It was just a case of temporary insanity. I promise it won't happen again."

"I can forgive you, if you can forgive me," Harry answered.

"Why would I need to forgive you?" Ginny asked.

"For not inviting you to my wedding," Harry said with a smirk.

"You're a real prat sometimes, you know that, Harry?" Ginny said with a smile.

"Of course, all big bothers are prats, didn't you that, Ginny?" he saidreturning hersmile.

"So, what is she like?" Ginny asked in a more serious voice as she looked down at the wedding band on his finger. Harry thought about how he should answer that. He still didn't really know how he felt about his new wife, yet. Harry figured that the straight truth was probably the best way to go.

"She's a very smart, beautiful, and graceful woman, she even has since of humor. But she is also an arrogant, elitist pureblood that will only do things that directly benefits her and what she cares about. She is also a very lonely and scared person, who was probably abused pretty badly by her last husband," Harry earnestly answered.

"She sounds complicated," Ginny said with a worried expression on her face.

"I think that's a real understatement, Ginny," Harry told her. "The truth is she kind of scares me. I have no idea how this marriage is ever going to work. I'm not really scared that she'll try and to turn me over to Voldemort, that much. She has too much to lose if she did. I'm afraid what it's going to be like with her as the mother of my children. I don't know if she even plans to include me in their lives at all. According to the marriage contract, she can divorce me and take them away. I would only get to see them if she allows it."

"I don't think Dumbledore will allow her to do that to you, Harry. I think the Order will keep her in line," Ginny told him as she got up off her knees.

"I don't know, Ginny. Dumbledore wasn't even upset when I told him I got married. I'm starting to suspect that he may have known what Narcissa had in mind when she first invited me to her home," Harry distrustfully said as he stood up.

"You don't think Dumbledore actually wanted you to marry her, do you, Harry?" Ginny skeptically asked.

"Tell you the truth, Ginny, I really don't know. But I get the sneaky feeling there is something Dumbledore knows about Narcissa that he isn't telling me, yet," Harry told her.

" Don't worry, Harry, the D.A will always back you up, even if Dumbledore and the Order isn't willing to help," Ginny confidently said to him.

"That reminds me, Ginny. I have to talk to Professor McGonagall and get you your Prefect's badge back. We'll need as many Prefects in the D.A club as possible," Harry said.

"Don't bother, Harry. Not having to deal with those snotty firsts years anymore was almost worth punching you in the nose," Ginny informed him.

"Sorry Ginny, the D.A club needs you and your badge. Besides, your mother would never forgive me if she found out that I was partly responsible for ruining her only daughter's shot at Head Girl. Remember, in less that two years Ron, Hermione, and I will be gone from Hogwarts. It will be up to you to lead the D.A after that, Ginny," Harry told her.

"ME?" Ginny said with a surprised look on her face. "Why would you want me to lead the club?" Ginny nervously asked.

"Who else is there, Ginny? The only two people I really trust in fifth year or lower is you and Luna. Luna's great but I just can't see anyone following her lead. You have already shown that you're tough enough to lead. Who else would I pick?" Harry asked her.

"You could always pick Ron. I only give him about a fifty-fifty chance of passing his N.E.W.T's. He might have to repeat a year," Ginny jokingly said with a smile.

"Don't worry about Ron, Ginny. Hermione will never let Ron or I fail the N.E.W.T's. She'll drive both of us crazy, just like she did for our O.W.L's," Harry assured her.

"Hermione might be a mom by then, Harry. You guys might not be her top priority anymore," Ginny told him.

"You're probably right, Ginny. There's a good chance all three of us could be parents by then. No matter what, next year is going to be very hard on us all," Harry gloomily stated.

"As long as you don't try to teach us how to change a dirty nappy in the D.A club, I think it will all work out, Harry," Ginny said, trying to cheer him up. "Speaking of the D.A club, we should try to learn some hand-to-hand stuff this year. Especially you, Harry, one punch and you were out like a light. Even Snape can take a punch better than you."

"It wasn't the punch that did the damage, Ginny. Your knee is what did me in. The punch finished me off. But you're right; we do need to learn some hand-to-hand skills. What happened at the Ministry proves that," Harry agreed.

"When is our first meeting, anyway? I haven't heard anything from Hermione yet," Ginny asked.

"Maybe next week. Hermione is still working on the new loyalty oath; she would have had it done by now but the week long detention McGonagall gave her slowed things down a bit. " Harry told her.

"I hope the oath is a strong one. We can't afford to have another Marietta this year," Ginny warned.

"It will be. I'm heading into the Chamber of Secrets tonight for the secret ingredient," Harry said.

"The Chamber of Secrets, what do you need in there?" Ginny nervously asked.

"I need a fang from our old friend down there. Believe me, Ginny, I'm not looking forward to going back into that place," Harry worriedly said.

"Just don't ask me to go with you, Harry. I still have nightmares about that place." Ginny said with a frightened look on her face. Harry knew he shouldn't have mentioned the chamber around Ginny. What happened to her down there was something no one can entirely get over.

"Don't worry, Ginny. It's just a chamber full of old bones now; there's nothing down there to be afraid of anymore," Harry said, trying to reassure her, and himself, a little.

"I sure hope you're right, Harry," Ginny said as she leaned forward and embraced him in a hug. Harry placed his arms around her, hugging her back. It was at times like this he truly felt she was his sister.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sunday evening, just after dinner, Hermione made her way down the corridor that led to the staff room. It had taken her nearly a week, and Dumbledore's help, to arrange this meeting. It was set here, instead of the dungeons, because Professor McGonagall didn't want Hermione anywhere near Draco after classes were over. The only reason McGonagall was so upset about what Hermione did to Malfoy was because she was afraid she'd end up like Pansy. Hermione still thought the detention was well worth it.

When she reached the staff room door, Hermione wiped her sweaty hands on her robes. She then took in two deep breaths to try and calm her nerves. She knocked three times on the staff room door.

"Come in, Miss Granger," a cold voice said from the other side of the door. Hermione entered the room; Professor Snape was sitting in one of two large chairs next to the fireplace. "Have a seat, Miss Granger," Snape ordered. Hermione took the chair opposite him. The large chairs seem to only amplify the size difference between the two. Snape's oil-black eyes seemed to shine brilliantly in the firelight as he stared at her. "I have reluctantly agreed to this so-called interview, Miss Granger. Just precisely what is it that you wish to know?" Snape asked in an irritated voice.

"Professor, we are to be wed in less than three weeks. The fact is, you're still very much a stranger to me. I know very little about you or what you think of this marriage and myself. Harry got married only twenty minutes after he met Miss Black but he still knows a whole lot more about her than I know about you. Our marriage may only last a year but we will be forever bonded together by our child. Don't you think it would be a good idea if we knew a little bit more about each other before we got married?" Hermione asked, trying to sound sincere and logical.

"Miss Granger, arranged marriages have always been a tradition in the Wizarding world. It is more common than not for the bride and groom to meet for the first time on their wedding day. What you know and don't know about me will be irrelevant. We will still be forced into this marriage against our wills," Snape told her.

"Professor, I'm from the Muggle world. Arranged marriages are almost unheard of there. I don't think getting to know the person I'm going to marry is too much to ask," Hermione firmly said.

"Very well, Miss Granger, what is it you wish to know?" Snape asked, sounding very bothered.

"I wish to know about your past and your family. I wish to know why you chose to do the things that you did in the past. I would also like to know what your plans are for the future," Hermione told him.

"Those are very personal questions, Miss Granger. You may not like the answers I give," Snape informed her.

"The truth can be hard to hear, Professor, but it's never regrettable," Hermione answered.

"That only proves just how naive you really are, Miss Granger. Truth is a weapon that can be use for or, most likely, against you. Our secrets are our weaknesses. I thought you would have learned that by now," Snape said in a shrewd voice.

"That's the Slytherin in you speaking," she told him.

"Of course it is, Miss Granger. What else would you expected?" Snape asked.

"I was hoping to appeal to your more logical Ravenclaw side," Hermione answered.

"I can assure you, Miss Granger, that I have no Ravenclaw side. I'm Slytherin through-and-through," Snape firmly stated.

"All of your ancestors were Ravenclaws. If you hadn't gotten attacked on the train your first year, you might have been sorted into Ravenclaw, too," Hermione bluntly told him. Snape instantly stiffened in his seat at hearing her words. It was quite apparent that he was very surprised at the fact that she knew about what happened to him on that train and he didn't look too pleased about it at all.

"How do know about that?" Snape angrily asked in a low hissing voice.

"A week ago I had a long talk with Hagrid about you. He told me about what happened to you when you were a Hogwarts," Hermione answered.

"Who else have you told about this?" Snape demanded.

"No one," Hermione answered. "It seemed very private and I didn't think you wanted it known by all."

"You told no one? Not even Potter or Weasley?" Snape anxiously asked.

"I haven't said a word to anyone," Hermione told him.

"What else did Hagrid tell you about me?" Snape asked, giving her a very suspicious look.

"We talked about your parents and how they died. He also told me that your father was in the Order but no one really liked him," Hermione said.

"A moment, Miss Granger," Snape said as he got out of his seat. He walked over to the door then took out his wand and put a locking charm on it. He then put a silencing charm on the room. "I hope you are not this careless when mentioning the Order to that Gryffindor rabble you pal around with," Snape said as he took his seat.

"We are very careful. We put silencing charms on the Gryffindor table and we never mention any names when we speak about the Order," Hermione told him.

"It would be best if you and your acquaintances didn't speak about the Order at all. It would only take a single innocent slip of the tongue to get someone killed," Snape suggested.

"As I said before, we are very careful, Professor. We don't talk about the Order that much, anyway. It may surprise you that we do have lives of our own and not everything revolves around the fight against Death Eaters," Hermione assertively said.

"You couldn't be more wrong, Miss Granger. Everything that happens in the Wizarding world revolves around the fight against the Dark Lord. It's a fact whether you like it or not," Snape forcefully told her. "Your foolish action against Mr. Malfoy proves to me that you don't take this fight very seriously."

"My actions were completely justified. Not even you can tell me that the creep didn't get what he deserved," Hermione angrily said.

"No, Miss Granger, he didn't," Snape said in a very cold voice that gave Hermione a shiver. "You had a perfect opportunity to deal young Mr. Malfoy some real justice and you threw it away."

"I don't understand what you mean, Professor," Hermione said, giving him a puzzled look.

"Of course you don't, you're a Gryffindor," Snape cryptically answered. "Tell me something, Miss Granger, why did you throw that severing hex at Malfoy's broom instead of Malfoy himself, when he first started to attack?"

"It was a very powerful severing charm. If I would have thrown that at Draco, he would have been severally injured, probably even killed," Hermione answered. "Just how do you know what I did to Draco, anyway?" she suspiciously asked him.

"As we told you before, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy will never be out from under someone's eye as long as he is here at Hogwarts. It just so happened that I was keeping an eye on him when you two met on the path to the Quidditch pitch. I watched the entire confrontation from a hidden vantage point. Imagine my disappointment when you failed to rid us of Mr. Malfoy when given the perfect opportunity. When I realize that you only intended to give Malfoy that childish act of corporal punishment, I alerted Professor McGonagall to put a halt to it."

"Wait, you wanted me to kill Draco?" Hermione asked with a surprised look on her face.

"Of course. It would have been very easy to prove that Malfoy attacked you with serious injury or death in mind. The Ministry might not praise you as a hero but they'd have nothing to prove you provoked Malfoy. Your story would only be confirmed if the Aurors used Veritaserum on you," Snape told her.

"That's only true if I actually thought Draco could beat me in a duel, which I don't," Hermione stated. "I would never kill someone unless I had no choice, not even Draco. I would prefer that he and everyone else like him spent the rest of their lives rotting away in a prison somewhere."

"That just shows how foolish you really are, Miss Granger. What would you have done if Malfoy had thrown that broom half at you and then charged? A well placed hit and you would have been at his mercy," Snape told to her.

"I doubt that would have happened. Draco doesn't seem to have any fighting skills at all," she said to Snape.

"He doesn't need any, Miss Granger. He only needs to get lucky once," Snape angrily told her. "And with you continuing to give him further opportunities, it's only a matter of time before a set of these are in your future," Snape said as he took something out of his robe pocket and slammed it down on the small coffee table that stood between them. Hermione sucked in a quick breath at the sight of the object. It was Pansy's blood-soaked knickers.

"Why do you have those?" Hermione asked as she stared at the undergarment.

"To remind me what is truly at stake, Miss Granger. Perhaps it would be better if you keep them. Maybe they will help sharpen your resolve the next time a Death Eater attacks you," Snape suggested to her. "Your humiliation of young Mr. Malfoy has all but guaranteed that you will be his next target. Do not expect him to play fair, Miss Granger. If he is anything like his father, he will use others to fight his battle for him. You may very well find yourself outnumbered and at his mercy, just as Miss Parkinson found herself," he informed her. That thought sent a chill down Hermione's spine. Over the last week and a half she had four nightmares about just that. Each time, she had woken in the middle of the night with sweat covering her body. Hermione reached out and picked up the blue, stained pair of knickers. With care, she folded them and placed them in her pocket. Snape raised one of his eyebrows and gave her a surprised look.

"What, you told me to take them?" Hermione defensively asked.

"I never expected you to obey," Snape answered.

"I didn't take them for the reason you gave. I took them for reasons of my own," she informed him.

"Are you referring to some kind of kinship you now feel for Miss Parkinson? What makes you think she will now feel the same way about you?" Snape skeptically asked.

"She is not the same person as before. She knows now who is really on her side," Hermione told him.

"Miss Parkinson only knows two things at the present. The first is the shame she feels about what happened to her and the second is fear that it will happen again. She will not trust anyone from her past, which includes you, Miss Granger. That is why she so quickly attached herself to Mrs. Weasleys, she seeks the safety of a stranger rather than the betrayal from another friend," Snape told her.

"In time she will see that we are both on the same side. She will learn to trust Ron, Harry, and myself," Hermione said.

"Something very precious was torn out of her soul, Miss Granger. What takes its place can be very dark and sometimes dangerous. It would be wise if you didn't try to get too close to her," Snape said.

"She will need friends if she is to get through this. You of all people should know how a single traumatic event can change a person," Hermione defiantly said.

"If you're referring to my unfortunate first trip aboard the Hogwarts Express, you couldn't be more mistaken. Hagrid and McGonagall also believe that that was the reason for my sorting into Slytherin but it's far from true. Ever since I was five, I found myself attracted to dark magic. It was this, more than anything else, that led me to be a true Slytherin.

"But who knows how that silly hat really works. The fact that Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw already had nineteen students apiece sorted into them, and Slytherin only had eighteen, might have been all that really mattered when I was to be sorted. In chase you haven't noticed, the Sorting Hat always seems to find an equal amount of students for all four houses each year. If your name is last in the alphabetical order, it may have more to do with luck than what your personal talents might suggest," Snape said.

"You think it was just luck that you ended up in Slytherin?" Hermione asked.

"Perhaps, but I firmly believe it's where I belonged," Snape answered.

"Hagrid said that the Slytherins didn't like you very much. He said that they thought you should have been in Ravenclaw," Hermione said.

"At first that was true. They had been told about my ancestors by their parents. My high academic scores only enforced this. But once it became clear what my passions truly were, they accepted me as a Slytherin. Many even started to fear me," Snape told her with a little bit of pride in his voice.

"They all thought your father was a Death Eater. Did you ever tell anyone he was in the Order?" Hermione asked.

"No, Miss Granger, I didn't. The main reason being that my father was never in the Order," Snape sharply answered.

"But Hagrid told me he was. He said your father joined after he found out who Voldemort really was," Hermione told him.

"Do not speak that name to me, Miss Granger," Snape warned. "It's true that my father did start to help the Order when he found out the Dark Lord's true identity. But he didn't give his help for free. He made the Order pay for the potions that he provided and not just with money. He made them find him rare illegal ingredients he couldn't get past the Ministry. He cared nothing for their cause or the lives of the people in the Order," Snape said with an air of resentment.

"It doesn't sound like you cared much for your father?" Hermione asked.

"He was an arrogant, conceited bastard that was in love with his superiority and nothing else. In the end, that arrogance guaranteed that he would fall prey to the family curse. But the selfish bastard had to take my mother with him," Snape angrily answered.

"Family curse?" Hermione asked with a confused look.

"Hagrid didn't tell you about the curse? How remiss of my godfather to leave that out," Snape sarcastically said.

"Wait, wait just a minute. Hagrid is your godfather?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"It wasn't as if I had any say in the matter, Miss Granger. My mother thought that he and McGonagall were the only ones trustworthy enough, at the time. You'll find that Hagrid is godfather to quite a number of people. My father didn't really care as long as he didn't have to bother with it," Snape answered.

"I can't believe this. Professor McGonagall and Hagrid are your godparents. The Head of Gryffindor is godmother to the Head of Slytherin," Hermione said in amazement.

"In case I haven't made it very clear, Miss Granger, anything we discuss here is to remain strictly private and is not to be mentioned to your friends - "EVER!" My relationship to Professor McGonagall is no one's concern but our own. It would be very dangerous if it were known that I have such a close connection to someone everybody naturally assumes is in the Order," Snape said in a warning tone.

"I understand completely, Professor. I doubt Professor McGonagall would like it known that she had you as a godson," Hermione told him. She didn't mean for it to sound like an insult but that's the way it came out. Snape just sneered at her. "What was this family curse you mentioned?" Hermione quickly asked, trying to change the subject.

"It started out as a warning from one of my ancestors about the dangers of our family genius. She warned that anyone that pushed too hard would probably destroy themselves. After a large number of my ancestors did, in fact, succumb to their own experiments, the legend of the Snape family curse was born. Unfortunately, the last couple of generations of my family have only given the curse more credibility," Snape told her.

"More of your relatives have died in experimental accidents than just your parents?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, it started with my grandfather Samuel, who was very eccentric, to say the least. He was a great admirer of dragons. There was a small herd of Blue Atlantic dragons nesting in the cliff caves that were on the north side of Thunder Island. Their loud roars are where the island gets it name," Snape said.

"Atlantic Blues. That's the biggest dragon in the world; they're supposed to be almost extinct," Hermione excitedly said.

"Yes, they are. Their near-extinction was the reason my grandfather embarked on his very foolish plan. He thought if the dragons were harder to find, they would stand a better chance in the wild. He came up with the not-so-bright idea of making the dragons invisible," Snape told her.

"It didn't work?" Hermione asked.

"On the contrary, Miss Granger, it worked on the first bull he tested," Snape answered. "Unfortunately for my grandfather, he was no longer able to keep track of the bull and was promptly eaten by it in short order."

"That's really horrible. Did all your relatives die in accidental experiments?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, with the exception of my grandmother. She was killed during a horse-riding accident. Of course, she was not a Snape by blood, only by marriage," Snape answered.

"And the curse ended with both your parents dying in that lab accident," Hermione said.

"No, my father had a sister nearly twenty-five years his junior. My Aunt Tiara was only five years older that myself. She was considered a genius with Charms, but was not a very mentally stable person. About six years ago, she was killed while trying to combine three very powerful spells together. I can't really say that I was surprised to hear what had happen. It was quite apparent to me, even at a young age, that she would go the same way as my father and his father before him," Snape unapologetically said.

Something about what Snape had just said struck a familiar cord with Hermione. "Professor, do you have any relatives left that are still alive?" she asked. Snape tilted his head to the side for a second. He looked like he was searching his memories for the answer.

"I believe my aunt had a child before she was killed. She had married some kind of publicist and I think they had a daughter. My grandmother died when I was twelve, after that I had no contact with my aunt. The only reason I remember her having a child is that it was mentioned in the Ministry's report on my aunt's demise. The child had apparently witnessed her mother's death," Snape answered.

"So you have a cousin that is much younger than you. Do you know her name?" Hermione asked with a slightly evil smile on her face. She had already put the pieces together in her head.

"I have no idea what her name is, nor do I care," Snape coldly answered.

"I know her name," Hermione announced as the smile on her face grew.

"I seriously doubt that, Miss Granger. My aunt stopped using the name Snape soon after the death of my father. It would be very hard to trace her, or her daughter, back to my family," Snape confidently said.

"You may be right, Professor, but I just so happen to know a female student here at Hogwarts that witnessed her mother's death while experimenting with spells six years ago. And her father just happens to be the editor of a magazine," Hermione said with a smug look on her face.

"Who?" Snape impatiently asked.

"Luna Lovegood," she answered.

"That's impossible," Snape heatedly said. Hermione tried to keep a calm expression on her face but inside she was full of glee at Snape's obvious discomfort on hearing her revelation.

"It's true. She told Harry about how her mother died. She said she even witnessed it. And her father is editor of _The Quibbler_," she told him. Snape just sat there for moment considering what she had told him.

Finally he looked back at her and said, "It seems fairly obvious that you're right, Miss Granger. Now that I think about it, Miss Lovegood does resemble my aunt, not only in looks but also in regards to her very bizarre personality. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a member of my family is currently the most intelligent student in Hogwarts."

"WHAT!" Hermione blurted out. "Professor, I'll have you know that I had the highest O.W.L's scores and the highest grade average last year."

"That is only because you find academics a challenge and Miss Lovegood does not," Snape said to her. "The entire staff of Hogwarts has commented on Lovegood's peculiar study habits. She reads her textbooks from back to front while holding them upside down. Apparently, she finds it too boring to read them like a normal student. I myself have found her classroom antics very annoying."

Hermione wondered if it could be true. Was Luna smarter than she let on? Luna was so different from her. Hermione had always assumed that most intelligent people would be like her. Luna was in Ravenclaw and she was related to a family known for producing brilliant witches and wizards. Hermione looked back at Snape; he now had an evil little smile on his face.

"What's wrong, Miss Granger? Do you suddenly see a threat to your precious O.W.L's scores? You shouldn't concern yourself; Miss Lovegood doesn't seem to have any real interest in academic achievements. Of course you never know," Snape said with an evil smirk.

"I'm happy just knowing that I beat _your_ scores, Professor," Hermione said in rebuttal. This instantly wiped the smile off his face.

"As enjoyable as it has been discussing my family with you, Miss Granger," Snape sarcastically said to her in an irritated voice. " I would prefer that we finish this conversation as quickly as possible. What is it really you wish to know, Miss Granger?"

Hermione could tell he was becoming impatient with her. She still thought it best to ease into the tougher questions. "When did you become a Death Eater?" Hermione seriously asked.

"On my eighteenth birthday. The Mark can only be taken willingly on the night of your birthday," Snape informed her.

"When did you decide to join the Order?" she asked.

"Just after the death of my father. Of course, the Headmaster didn't let me officially join until I was sixteen," Snape answered.

"Wait a minute. I thought you joined the Order _after_ you became a Death Eater. I heard you came to Dumbledore and begged him for a second chance," Hermione said with a puzzled look on her face.

"Please, Miss Granger. Do I seem like the kind of person that would ever beg anyone for anything?" Snape said as if she had insulted him. "The Headmaster gave that story to the Ministry so that he wouldn't expose my spying activities for the Order."

"Why did you become a Death Eater if you were already in the Order? Were you trying to betray them?" Hermione asked as she gave her Professor a very suspicious look.

"No, Miss Granger, I had no intention of betraying the Order, although some in the Order thought that at first. Because of the rumors surrounding my father's alleged connection to the Dark Lord, I found myself with a unique opportunity to infiltrate the Dark Lord's inner circle," Snape told her. "Unfortunately, I was still too young and foolish to know what I was getting myself into. My thirst for knowledge about the Dark Arts overwhelmed my common sense."

"If you were in the Order before becoming a Death Eater, why didn't Wormtail rat you out to the Dark Lord? He was in the Order, too," Hermione asked.

"Only the Headmaster and a few others knew that I was in the Order. No one except Dumbledore and a couple of others know everyone that is in the Order. The Dark Lord also uses this strategy with his Death Eaters. That's why no one knew about Wormtail," Snape answered.

"So you joined to learn about the Death Eaters and their master. You planned to spy on them for the Order," Hermione said, trying to make sense of what she was told.

"That was my rationale at the time. It almost sounds heroic when you put it in that light, but it isn't true," Snape said in a cold logical voice.

"What do you mean?" Hermione apprehensively asked.

"I didn't admit it to myself at the time, but what I truly hoped to gain by taking the Mark was power. I wished to be as powerful a wizard as Dumbledore and the Dark Lord. I saw the Mark as a shortcut to that goal. I had no idea how much that reckless mistake would cost me," Snape said with bitter regret.

"I take it being a Death Eater isn't all it was cracked up to be?" Hermione asked.

"No, it isn't. The Mark is just a form of slavery, Miss Granger. The Dark Lord does not share his power or his secrets. What I didn't realize until it was too late was that the Dark Mark is much more than just a tattoo. It fills you with a dark magic that changes your very soul. It seeks to destroy your conscience. And it can never be taken back," Snape stated as if it were a warning.

"Are you saying that you have no conscience?" she asked.

"I still have mine but it is always a battle to keep it. Since the new rise of the Dark Lord, it is always under attack by the dark magic within me," Snape told her.

"Are you sure it hasn't won? The way you treat people, I would wonder," Hermione only half-seriously asked.

"I'm quite sure, Miss Granger. If I suddenly start treating everyone nicely instead of the way they truly deserve, then you will know I have succumbed to the Mark," Snape told her. Hermione had to admit it; a nice Snape would be even creepier than normal.

"Is the Dark Mark the reason you never got married?" Hermione asked.

"My father's marriage is the reason I never got married, Miss Granger," Snape answered.

"You were never in love?"

"No," Snape answered without hesitation.

"Did you at least have a girlfriend?" she asked.

"No," he said once again.

"Professor, you're not still a virgin, are you?" Hermione asked with a bit of embarrassment.

"No, Miss Granger, I'm not," Snape said again, sounding insulted. "Like most teenage boys, I felt that sex what a rite of passage into manhood. On my nineteenth birthday, I sought out a Muggle prostitute to relieve me of my virginity."

"So you've only had sex once?"

"No, I made seeking the company of a Muggle prostitute a tradition on my birthday. I gave it up once I turned thirty. Sexual activities never really held my interest," Snape explained.

"Why Muggle women? There are brothels in Knockturn Alley," she asked.

"I chose Muggles for secrecy. I always Obliviated their memories of me afterward," Snape flatly said as if he were discussing a potion ingredient.

"So what you're telling me is, you've only had sex with whores. I'll be the first person you won't have to pay for," Hermione angrily stated.

"I can assure you, Miss Granger, I will pay dearly for sharing my bed with you," Snape mockingly said.

"Isn't this just great. I have to marry a egotistical, half-possessed, power-hungry pervert that also has a family curse to boot," Hermione irritably said.

"I believe I've answered enough of your questions, Miss Granger," Snape angrily said as he rose from his chair and headed for the door.

"Why stop now? You were painting such a rosy picture," she sarcastically said to him as he took the charms off the room and door.

Before opening the door, he turned to her and said, "I remind you one last time, Miss Granger. What we said here today remains between us. None of it is for your gossiping little rabble," Snape warned.

"Don't worry, I plan to take most of this stuff to the grave. I'll file it in the same folder as Dumbledore's butt," she told him.

"What?" Snape asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Just forget I said that and I'll forget everything you told me," Hermione suggested.

"Very well," Snape said as he open the door to leave.

"WAIT! You didn't ask me anything. Don't you want to know about me and my family?" Hermione asked.

"No," Snape coldly and smugly said as he left the room.

"YOU ARSE!" she shouted after him, but he was already gone. It became clear to Hermione that even after all she had learned about him, Snape was still a major prick.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Next chapter coming soon.

Hermione and Snape will finally get married in the next chapter. Harry will also get a surprise in the Chamber of Secrets.

A couple of chapters from now, Draco will pay a visit to the Burrow. I know Crabbe and Goyle will join him. I'm curious who else do you think he should take with him? Or should it just be the three? Keep in mind that only Pansy and Mrs. Weasley will be at the Burrow when they arrive.


	15. Not Playing By The Rules

Author's Notes:

Thank you all for reviewing. It's great to know that so many of you are enjoying this.

This chapter was beta'd by the magnificent proofreader Nakhash Makashefah. I would like all you greedy little authors out there to keep your dirty mitts off her. I need her for my stories and I'm willing to kill to keep her.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 15. Not playing by the rules. Part one.

Just after dinner, Harry entered Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He dreaded having to go back into the Chamber of Secrets, again, but thought it was something he must do, not just for Hermione's tooth, but also to conquer he own fears about the place. He was more prepared, this time. He had a backpack with some tools in it: a pair of pliers, in case the old snake didn't want to give up its fang easily, and a set of Any Stick shoe-covers and gloves, so that he could climb back out of the pipe. He also brought some rope and a small folding shovel, just in case.

Harry walked over to the sink with the small snake carved on it faucet. He stared at the small snake, trying to picture it as a real one. "IS IT TRUE!" shouted a voice from behind.

"AAAAWWW," Harry screamed in surprise. He turned to see Myrtle glaring at him over the top ofa toilet stall. "Don't do that Myrtle. You nearly scared me half to death," Harry told the teenaged ghost.

"Never mind that, Harry Potter. Is it true?" Myrtle angrily repeated.

"Is what true?" Harry irritably asked.

"IT IS TRUE!" Myrtle shouted, as she shot out of the toilet stall splashing water all over the floor. She quickly zoomed up to him until she was only inches away. She was staring at the wedding band on his finger. "Harry Potter, how could you?" Myrtle asked, as she began to sob uncontrollably.

'Oh Merlin, not another Ginny,' Harry thought to himself. "I had to Myrtle. There was a new Law passed forcing half-bloods and Muggle-borns to marry purebloods. I didn't have a choice," Harry explained.

"You didn't even tell me before you did it. I had to find out by listening to some stupid fourth years gossiping in the ground floor bathroom," Myrtle accusingly said, as she continued to sob.

"I didn't know it was going to happen until it was over. I planned to tell you; I swear," Harry said, trying to comfort the weeping ghost. "I hope this doesn't change anything between us, Myrtle."

"OF COURSE IT CHANGES THINGS!" the ghost angrily shouted at him. "I'd always hoped you get yourself killed and come stay with me in my toilet. Now you'll probably go haunt that trollop you married."

"I guarantee you that will never happen, Myrtle," Harry said, trying to reassure her. "If I die there's no place in the world I'd haunt other that Hogwarts. Sir Nicholas would be hard-pressed to keep his job as Ghost of Gryffindor."

"What about this new wife of yours? Will she be coming to Hogwarts with you?" Myrtle asked, as her sobs abated a little.

"I don't think so. She doesn't really like Hogwarts," Harry answered. "If she does show up, you have my permission to haunt her right back out of the castle."

"I'll do that, Harry. I'll do things to her that I wouldn't even do to that old sourpuss, Olive Hornby," she assured him. "Harry, could you do me a favor?" Myrtle timidly asked him.

"Anything for you, Myrtle," he answered. "Just tell me what you need."

"I was wondering if you could hurry up and die. You're already older than me when I died. We'd make a better couple if you didn't wait too long," she suggested.

"I'm sorry, Myrtle, it's not really up to me. But if it makes you feel any better, there are plenty of people out there working very hard to find a way to kill me," Harry told her.

"Thanks, Harry. That does make me feel a lot better," she said, giving him a very rare smile.

Harry only wished that that statement wasn't quite so true.

"Harry, why are you standing next to" that" sink?" Myrtle nervously asked.

"I'm going into the Chamber of Secrets. I need to get something from down there," he explained.

"You're… you're going to open that thing up?" a very frightened Myrtle said, as she backed away.

"Don't worry, Myrtle. There's nothing down there, anymore," Harry told her.

"I don't know, Harry. Lately I've heard strange things in the pipes under the school. They remind me of _it_," Myrtle anxiously said, as she continued to back away.

"The monster is dead, Myrtle. I killed it myself. There's nothing in the pipes, unless it's the ghost of that basilisk," Harry said, trying to reassure her.

"A gh-gh-gh- ghost of that thing. Do you really think there is one?" Myrtle asked, looking very pale, even for a ghost.

"I'm sure there isn't, Myrtle. Just forget I mentioned it," Harry answered.

"Um, um, I have to go, Harry. I need to make sure there is no one hanging out in the prefects' bathroom that doesn't have a badge," Myrtle said, and with a splash of toilet water and a rattle of pipes, she was gone.

"Way to put your foot in your mouth, Potter," Harry said to himself. He then turned his attention back to the sink. He stared at the small engraved snake on the side of the copper tap. Willing himself to believe the snake was real, he spoke two words in

Parseltongue: "Open up." The tap suddenly began to glow with a brilliant white light. The whole sink began to lower itself as the tap started to spin. After just a moment, the sink was out of sight, revealing the man-sized hole below.

Harry sat down next to the hole in the floor and swung his legs inside it. Perching on the edge, Harry told himself that there was nothing to be afraid of. The monster snake was long dead and Riddle's diary had been destroyed. Sucking in a deep breath, he pushed off, sliding into the depths below.

Moments later, Harry landed on the floor of the stone tunnel with a loud thud. He rubbed his burning backside. The slide was nowhere near as damp or slimy as the last time he used it. Harry had to check to make sure the friction from the long slide hadn't burned a hole in his trousers.

"_Lumos,"_ Harry muttered, igniting the tip of his wand. He could see that the walls and floor of the stone tunnel were as wet and slimy as they had been years ago. Harry guessed that the slide was dry because the basilisk no longer used it to enter the school. Raising his wand in front of him, Harry began to move down the tunnel towards the Chamber of Secrets. Just as Harry reached the bend in the tunnel where the snakeskin had been, he noticed something crunching under his feet. Looking down, he saw hundreds of small animal bones littering the floor. He remembered the bones from before but thought there were a lot more of them, now. Thinking that it was just his mind playing tricks on him, Harry continued on to the point in the tunnel where the roof had collapsed after Lockhart blew up Ron's wand.

Harry studied the pile of rubble in front of him. He remembered there only being a small hole near the top that he and Ginny barely fit through. Now the hole was large enough that you could step through with only lowering your head a bit. Puzzled by this, Harry looked around to see if there was any evidence that someone else had entered the tunnel since he had been there over three years ago. Seeing no signs of footprints or anything else, he reluctantly moved past the cave-in and toward the chamber.

A lot quicker than he expected, Harry reached the wall with the two serpents carved into it, which marked the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. Their cold emerald eyes gleamed at him, the same way they had years before. "Open," Harry said in a low hiss. Slowly, the twin serpents moved as the chamber opened. He slowly entered the chamber with the tall serpentine columns. Halfway down the long line of pillars, Harry spotted the long bleach-white skeleton of the basilisk. The creature's skull was lying upside-down on the floor with its jaw opened wide.

After taking off his backpack, Harry reached into it and removed the set of pliers. Hermione had told him not to use magic to remove the tooth because it would affect her spell. Not wanting to stay in the chamber any longer than necessary, he leaned over the monster's skull and inspected its upside-down toothy grin. Hermione hadn't told him how big a tooth to get. Not wanting to make a second trip to the chamber, Harry selected one of the two large fangs in the top of the skull. He gripped the fang at the base where it met the jawbone. Not wanting to break it, he used just a little strength to try and pry it lose. The fang wouldn't budge. Using more strength, he tried rocking it back and forth. Still the tooth wouldn't move. Harry began to twist the pliers, in hope of unscrewing the fang, but no such luck. Using all his strength, Harry violently shook the pliers in an attempt to wrench the fang free. Completely exhausted, Harry released the pliers' grip on the tooth and sat down on the floor to catch his breath.

As Harry sat there, breathing deeply, a flash of something yellow and green, from behind a far pillar, caught the corner of his eyes. Harry quickly turned to see what it was, but nothing was there. With his heart hammering in his chest, he continued to search the chamber for any signs of movement. Harry listened intently to the sounds in the chamber. His heavy breathing echoed loudly all around him. He could also hear the soft drip of moisture off the damp walls. Every now and then, he could swear he heard something slithering around in the darkness.

Harry knew it must be his imagination getting to him. 'This place could drive anyone off his nut,' Harry told himself. Wanting to leave the chamber as quickly as possible, Harry picked up his pliers and began to work on the tooth again. He continued to pull, twist, and shake the tooth for all he was worth. Harry was starting to believe that the basilisk must have had a cavity when it bit him, because that was the only way a tooth was going to come out of this jawbone. Fed up and angry, Harry kicked the giant snake's skull as hard as he could. To his amazement, the skull popped completely loose from the neck bones and slid across the floor of the chamber.

Harry walked over to where the skull now rested. A thought occurred to him. Maybe he could take the whole skull back with him. He reached down and tried to pick up the nearly three-foot long skull. It was surprisingly light, only about two stone. 'This is going to look so cool mounted in the Gryffindor common room,' Harry said to himself, as a smile appeared on his face. Something rustled behind him. When Harry turned, he found himself face-to-face with another basilisk.

If it weren't for the fact that he could feel his heart beating ferociously in his chest, Harry would swear that he had been petrified. He was staring straight into the monster's large ruby-red eyes. 'Why am I not dead?' Harry thought to himself. He couldn't understand why he wasn't dead or at least petrified. The large snake was only four feet away from him; only the skull he held in his hands separated them. Harry's hands began to tremble with fear; he couldn't bring himself to look away. He realized that this snake was only about half the size of the one he had fought years before. Its skin was pale yellow with tints of dark green on the ends of it scales.

'It must be fairly young,' Harry thought. 'Maybe a basilisk needs to be full-grown before it can kill with its eyes,' he wondered. Harry had no doubt that this creature was very poisonous. He was holding his wand in his right hand, along with the skull. He didn't think he could drop the skull and aim his wand before the creature could strike. His only option was to throw the skull at the snake, hopefully forcing it away long enough for him to get a shot off with his wand.

Suddenly, the snake opened its mouth and in a very low hiss said, "Speak the master, to become the master." Harry said nothing. He didn't have a clue as to what the snake meant by that. "Speak the master, to become the master," the snake repeated in a loud hiss.

"Wh-wh- what?" Harry nervously asked, not even sure if he had spoken in Parseltongue.

"Speak the master, to become the master," the snake repeated once again. It sounded to Harry like the snake was becoming very impatient and angry with him. He knew the snake was asking him for something, he just didn't know what. He feared what a wrong answer would get him. Harry looked briefly past the basilisk to the large statue at the end of the chamber. A thought occurred to him. He tightened his grip on the skull, just in case he was mistaken about what he thought the snake wanted to hear.

"Salazar Slytherin," Harry forcefully said to the snake.

"The chamber is yours, master," the snake said, as it bowed its head to Harry. The snake lowered itself to the ground and slithered off into the darkness. Harry let out a huge sigh of relief as the snake disappeared from view. He wondered where the new basilisk had come from. Did it automatically appear as soon as the other had been killed? Hermione had told him that basilisks could live for hundreds of years, but maybe not a thousand like he thought. 'Did a new one take the place of the old one every time one died?' he wondered. Harry walked up to the front of the tall statue. He looked up at the old wizard's stone face. He wondered how a man that lived a thousand years ago could still have so much influence on the Wizarding world, today. Because of this man's evil teachings, both of his parents were dead. Even now, his evil still roamed beneath the school.

"Why did you build this place," Harry shouted angrily up at the statue. His voice echoed continuously through the chamber.

Suddenly, to Harry's surprise, the statue's head moved. It looked down at him and in a powerful but low and slow voice. said, "That is the question. Isn't it, Mr. Potter?" Harry quickly stumbled backwards. He tripped over his own feet, landing on his bum with the skull in his lap.

"Who- who are you?" Harry nervously asked the statue.

"You already know that, Mr. Potter," the statue answered. There was a brilliant green flash from Harry's left. It was coming from the eye of a carved snake on the last pillar. "Touch the serpent's eye if you want your answers, Mr. Potter," the statue told him. Harry slowly got to his feet. He left the skull on the ground beside him. Like a moth to a flame, Harry felt himself drawn to the glowing greeneye. Even though all his common sense was telling him to run and leave this chamber forever, he still couldn't bring himself to leave. He slowly reached out his hand and touched the glowing snake's eye. A ball of light shot out of the eye past his hand. Balls of light shot out of every snake's eyes on all the columns. A hundred balls of light streaked all around the chamber. It look like someone had let loose a hundred giant fireflies.

The balls of light began to slow down. They all started to mingle together in front of the large statue's feet. The balls began to join, creating a shape. It was the shape of a man. A man that Harry had never met but was able to instantly recognize. Standing not ten feet away was Salazar Slytherin, himself. He had a slight green glow around him. It reminded Harry of the memory of Tom Riddle from the diary, he had met in this very chamber.

"What are you?" Harry asked the glowing figure in front of him. "Are you a ghost or a memory?"

"Neither, Mr. Potter. I am one of Hogwarts' four Oracles," Slytherin answered. His voice was wispy but with an air of authority to it. It reminded Harry of Professor McGonagall, just a little deeper. Slytherin was a tall wizard with nearly the same stature as Dumbledore. But he had none of the Headmaster's kindness or charm in his face.

"What's a Oracle?" Harry asked. He kept a tight grip on his wand in case the image of Slytherin tried something.

"I am a tribute to Hogwarts by the wizard I resemble. I hold all of his knowledge at the time he made me. I'm a gift to those clever enough to seek me out," Slytherin answered.

"You have all Slytherin's memories. So you are like that thing that came out of Riddle's diary," Harry uncertainly said to Slytherin.

"Nothing as crude or malevolent as that, Mr. Potter. The knowledge and wisdom of the man who created me is all I offer. It's the only purpose I serve," the ghostly figure answered.

"Slytherin created you. Did the other founders create Oracles?" Harry asked.

"Yes. We all decided to leave a living representation of ourselves inside Hogwarts' walls," Slytherin informed him.

"Where are the other three?" Harry asked.

"Helga's Oracle is in the main kitchen I believe. It's in the form of an old baker's oven. Helga loved to bake. Of course, you're already well familiar with that attention-seeking braggart, Godric's Oracle. No one knows where Rowena placed her Oracle. The woman was truly too smart for her own good. She made hers so hard to find that no one has done so in nearly a thousand years. I suspect it's in the library somewhere, but too well hid for any student to find," Slytherin told him.

"What do you mean I'm well familiar with Gryffindor's Oracle? I never remember meeting him," Harry told the ghostly figure.

"The Sorting Hat, Mr. Potter," Slytherin answered. Harry felt a little foolish he hadn't thought of that himself. After all, he did pull the Gryffindor sword out of it in this very chamber.

"So, you're here to answer any question I ask you, no matter what the subject?" Harry asked.

"No, there are some thing that I can't answer," Slytherin told him.

"Like what?"

"I cannot tell you what others have asked before. I cannot tell you the secrets of your fellow student, not even the ones that are dead or have long since left Hogwarts," the ghost said.

"So, you won't tell me what you said to Riddle over fifty years ago when he opened this chamber?" Harry asked.

"That I can tell you, Mr. Potter. I said nothing to the young Mr. Riddle," he answered.

"Why not?" Harry asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"He never asked the question, Mr. Potter. Only those who seek to know why this place exists are answered. Riddle believed he already knew that, before he entered the chamber. He believed this chamber was nothing more than a nesting place for my snakes. For such a talented boy, he was quite dim most of the time. After all, I did name it the Chamber of Secrets," Slytherin stated.

"Riddle told me he was carrying on your noble work. How would he know what it was if he never spoke to you," Harry asked in an accusing voice.

"I'm well aware what the memory of Riddle told you, Mr. Potter. Riddle didn't have the slightest idea what my noble work was. I spent the majority of my life teaching young witches and wizards. Hogwarts is the noble work I dedicated my life to," he answered.

"Why did you hate Muggles so much? Why didn't you want any Muggle-borns in Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

"Ah. The question that everyone is always dying to ask," Slytherin said with a smirk. "Unfortunately, it's not a very intelligent question."

"Why is that?" Harry asked in a slightly raised voice.

"Because, Mr. Potter, a thousand years ago there weren't any Muggles. The word Muggle is only three hundred years old. In my day, we had a very different name for them," he answered.

"What did you call them?" he asked.

"Christians, Mr. Potter. And they were something to be feared above all other threats to wizards and witches. Their faith doesn't tolerate our existence. They believe that any magic not belonging to their god is evil and must be destroyed. A millennium ago, most witches and wizards died at the end of a rope or were burned to death. Very few reached the age of forty. Of course, for every one of us they would kill, ten of their own would be falsely accused and go to their deaths.

That is the reason Hogwarts was created. To have a safe place for young witches and wizards to learn their magic without the specter of death hanging over their head every time they tried to use a wand. This great castle would protect them from the dangers of the outside world until they knew enough to defend themselves," Slytherin said.

"But why not Muggle-borns. They would need Hogwarts more than anyone?" Harry asked.

"You sound like Godric, Mr. Potter. He too believed children from non-magical families should come to Hogwarts, as well. He couldn't see how dangerous it was to teach those children here," Slytherin said.

"How could Muggle-born students possibly be dangerous to Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

"Not the students, Mr. Potter, their families were where the danger lay. Most Muggle-born children were killed by their ownfamilies as soon as they showed the first signs of magic. The few that did survive dared not show any magical ability around family and friends lest they be accused of being an agent of the devil. Gryffindor took it upon himself to try and save these children from their awful fate," Slytherin told him.

"What's wrong with that? I would have done the same myself," Harry bravely stated.

"I'm sure you would have, Mr. Potter. Unfortunately, like Godric, you fail to see the inherent danger of involving this school with ignorant, religious peasants that are afraid of their shadows. Anytime something went wrong in their miserable little lives, they would always blame magic and this school. The greatest protection Hogwarts offered was its secrecy. By bringing Muggle-borns here, Godric threw that protection away," Slytherin angrily said.

"Well you were wrong and Gryffindor was right. Muggle-borns weren't the end of Hogwarts," Harry told the ghostly figure.

"No, Mr. Potter, regrettably I was proven to be quite correct. Twenty-five years after I left Hogwarts, the plague came to Scotland. It wasn't long before the pestilence was blamed on the witches and wizards at Hogwarts. Over a thousand men marched on the castle that Easter weekend. The local bishop led them. By the time I received word of the attack, the castle had been under siege for nearly a whole day. When I and fifty other wizards and witches arrived to help our comrades, it was all over. The castle had been destroyed; most of the staff, and nearly half the student were dead. More than eight hundred of the attackers lay dead on Hogwarts' grounds.

This chamber is all that was left of the original castle. I build it as a refuge for the students in case the castle came under attack. Little did I know, this would be my greatest failure," Slytherin said with regret in his voice.

"Why, did the attackers break into the chamber?" Harry asked.

"No. No one entered the chamber that day. I made the mistake of only allowing a Parseltongue the ability to open the chamber. Unfortunately, no Parseltongues were at Hogwarts at the time of the attack. Under the rubble, we found over thirty dead children at the entrance to the chamber. Most were my own grandchildren. I had assumed that at least one of my grandchildren would have the gift. I didn't realize that the gift of Parseltongue was only passed down through the males in my family. I only had daughters, twenty-six of them before I gave up on having a son. I believe my first wife cursed me so that I would never have a true heir to my name. She believed that I left her because she only bore me three daughters and no sons. The truth is, I left her because she was as mean as a rabid dog," the ghost told him.

"The castle was rebuilt?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Rowena and Helga escaped into the forest with more than half the students and some of the staff. Godric stayed behind with most of the staff and a lot of the upper classmen students and fought the attackers. Only seven survived. Godric was not one of them. We laid him to rest under what is now the Great Hall. I took his hat from the battlefield and created his Oracle with it. The fool always loved that old hat. It took five years, but we built Hogwarts better than before," Slytherin answered.

"So the Hogwarts above isn't the first Hogwarts?" he asked.

"Above us is the lake, Mr. Potter, but no, it is the third Hogwarts that now stands today," he told Harry.

"The third, what happen to the second?" Harry asked.

"Cromwell's Puritans is what happen Mr. Potter. Three hundred and fifty years ago, they sacked Hogwarts. Fortunately, there was enough time to evacuate the castle; they were able to save most of the library tomes and rare artifacts. Only fifteen wizards were killed at the time of the attack. The ruins the Puritan army left behind are what all Muggles see today," Slytherin informed him.

A sound from behind him caught Harry's attention. The basilisk was slowly slithering across the chamber floor. "If this was suppose to be a safe haven for the students. Why did you put that horrible thing in here?" Harry demanded, as he stared at the large snake.

"That thing, as you so rudely put it, is one of the most rare and beautiful creatures on this earth. The great snakes are here to protect the chamber and everyone inside it. No human could hope to defeat it without the use of very powerful magic," Slytherin proudly stated.

"I defeated one with just a small sword," Harry boasted.

"Pure luck, Mr. Potter. And if I remember correctly, you had the aid of a phoenix at the time, the only animal immune to the basilisk's deadly stare. Besides, Fulcrum was nearly eight hundred years old, at the time. He had been on his last leg for many years," Slytherin told Harry. If that was the snake on his last leg, Harry didn't want to meet a young healthy one.

"Why didn't I die when I looked this snake in the eyes? I thought one look and you were dead?" Harry asked.

"The basilisk has two sets of eyelids, Mr. Potter. A set of red, partially transparent lids protect living creature from their deadly gaze. If their eyes are red, you're safe. But if their eyes are yellow, you'll only see them once," Slytherin warned. " The basilisk is a very territorial animal. So that they don't have to compete with their own young for food, the snake's eggs do not hatch until their parents have died or moved to another territory. And they only hatch one at a time. A single nest can produce a dozen snakes over a thousand years," Slytherin told Harry.

"I thought a basilisk was created by hatching a chicken egg under a toad?" Harry asked with a confused look on his face.

Slytherin let out a snort of laughter and just shook his head. "No, Mr. Potter that's just an old wife's tale. It's far from the truth. If it were true, the countryside would be over-flowing with them. Most young wizards attempt to create one that way. I have to admit, at the ripe old age of ten, I myself was tying a toad's legs around a chicken egg in hopes of creating my own pet monster. You'll also find that using a rooster to attack a basilisk isn't such a wise move, either. While it is true the great snake can't stand the crowing of a rooster, it is far from fatal to them. They're more likely to attack quicker to shut the bird up," Slytherin informed him.

"Why did Riddle have Ginny kill all of Hagrid's roosters?" Harry asked.

"He alsomust have believed the old wife's tale, the same as you," Slytherin answered. "I brought an old pregnant female here when I first built this chamber. Before she laid her clutch, I magically imprinted on her the role as guardian of this chamber. That imprint would be passed down to her hatchlings. The snakes will only attack persons without any magic within them."

"Why did that other snake attack Muggle-borns?" Harry asked.

"Young Mr. Riddle was very gifted at Legilimency. He was able to control and force his own will upon the creature. He also cut away Fulcrum's second eyelids with his wand. He used the lids to make protective lenses for his own eyes. Alas, this had the effect of driving Fulcrum insane," Slytherin answered. Harry wondered if this was the reason why Voldemort had red eyes. "Some time after he made that copy of himself in the diary, he stole four of the five remaining un-hatched eggs that were in the chamber. He must have finally realized that the old wife's tale about the snakes was false and just how rare and valuable they really were. Hermione here,will be the last guardian of the Chamber of Secrets," Slytherin told him.

"You named the snake after my friend?" Harry anxiously asked.

"Yes, I thought it was very clever of her to figure out that the monster of the chamber was a basilisk," he answered. "Riddle wasn't the only one gifted with Legilimency to visit the chamber, you know. Your Great-grandfather, William Potter, entered the chamber just over a century ago. He was the only non-Parseltongue to do so. I had planned to name the next snake after him, if it was a male," Slytherin told Harry.

"How did he open the chamber without being a Parseltongue?" he asked.

"He took control of the mind of a simple garden snake. He let the snake speak for him. A very clever young man, Ravenclaw all the way," Slytherin answered. "I wish I could tell you more about him, but the rules of secrecy forbid me. Let me just say he was an extraordinary young wizard. Of course, all of the student that make their way down here are a cut above the rest. I was very impressed with the young Miss Weasley. I never thought I'd see a witch with the gift of Parseltongue."

"She's not a Parseltongue. She was being possessed by Riddle; he was the Parseltongue," Harry told him.

"She may not have been a Parseltongue before she read Riddle's diary, but she is one now. He shared many of his powers with her before you destroyed that diary. You yourself received the gift in a similar way, if I'm not mistaken," Slytherin told Harry.

"Voldemort murdered my parents and tried to kill me. His body was destroyed when he used the Killing Curse on me. Before she died, my mother put a protection spell of some kind on me. I was left with this scar and some of Voldemort's powers," Harry told the ghost.

"A mother's love is very powerful magic. It should not be underestimated. And your mother was a very powerful witch when she was at Hogwarts," Slytherin told Harry.

"How do you know that? How do you know anything that goes on in Hogwarts if you're stuck down here?" Harry asked with a skeptical look on his face.

"I may only be accessible to others down here, Mr. Potter, but I'm well aware of everything that happens inside the castle. Like the stone statue behind me, I can see through the eyes of any carved bust or figurehead within the castle. I only wish someone would place a statue closer to the Quidditch pitch so that I could enjoy the matches better," Slytherin answered. Harry thought about all the statues and busts he had seen in Hogwarts, there had to be several hundred.

"You can see into almost every room in the castle?" Harry asked.

"Yes, but through only one set of eyes at a time. I'm able to keep track of most things in the castle," Slytherin told him.

"What did you see a week ago, Thursday night?" he asked, giving the ghost a wary look.

"You're referring to the attack on the youngSlytherin girl, aren't you?" Slytherin asked.

"Yes," Harry answered. "Did you see what happened to her?"

"No, the room where it happened was empty. I had no eyes there," he answered.

"But you saw who went into that room and who came out?" Harry inquiringly asked.

"Yes, Mr. Potter, but I can't tell you anything about her attackers. I'm not allowed to divulge any student's secrets to you. You wouldn't want me telling my next visitor about what you and your little club do in the Room of Requirement, would you? Besides, I believe you already know the answer to that particular question," Slytherin said.

"So, you know it was Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle that did that to her. How does it feel to have members of your own house do that to one another?" Harry asked.

"I can neither confirm nor deny that, Mr. Potter. And I've seen things just as horrible committed by students of all four houses over the last millennium. I do admit that my house seems to have more than its fair share of atrocities. For that, you should blame Godric and his infernal hat. It continues to put people of questionable character in my house. I preferred our original sorting ceremony. We would put a certain number of colored stones in a jar. Each new student would reach in and whatever color they selected is what house they would join. Blue, green, yellow, and red, it was as simple as that," Slytherin told him.

"Why did it change?" Harry asked.

"Siblings, Mr. Potter, especially twins. In case you haven't noticed, there is a higher than average number of twins in the magical world. Most refuse to be separated from one another. Shortly after Hogwarts was rebuilt for the first time, it was decided that the sorting should be changed. Godric's Oracle volunteered for the job. I should have burned that damn hat when I had the chance," Slytherin angrily said.

"Didn't you create the Sorting Hat?" Harry asked.

"Yes, but not for that purpose," Slytherin told Harry. "It was a kind of joke. You see, Godric put a copy of all his memories in a Pensieve shortly before his death. He planned to have a large bronze statue of himself placed in the main entrance of the school. This statue would be his Oracle, greeting everyone that came to Hogwarts, personally. Can you believe someone could be so egotistical?"

Harry looked up at the huge statue at the back of the chamber and said, "Yeah, I can definitely see someone being that full of himself. You know, it's getting kind of late. I need to get back before curfew, and it's going to take me a while to climb back up that pipe," Harry told the ghostly figure.

"There is no need to climb, Mr. Potter. Hermione will gladly take you back into the school. It's what she's here for, after all," Slytherin told him. Harry looked at the snake behind him. He didn't trust that snake as far as he could throw it.

"Uh, no thanks, the climb will do me good. You can never get enough exercise," Harry said, giving the snake a wary look.

"You do not have to fear Hermione, Mr. Potter. You are her master, now. She will obey only you until another Parseltongue speaks my name to her," Slytherin said trying to reassure him.

"What about you? Can you give the snake orders?" Harry asked.

"No, Mr. Potter, I'm not a living being. The snake is not even aware that I exist in this chamber," Slytherin answered.

"If that's true, how were you able to name her?" Harry asked, giving the ghost a skeptical look.

"Well, technically, I haven't told the snake what her name is," Slytherin hesitantly said.

"So I can name her anything I want?" Harry said with a smile. He thought the snake looked a lot more like a Narcissa than a Hermione.

"No, Mr. Potter, you can not," Slytherin defiantly said. "She'll only answer to the name I selected havefor her. If you don't believe me, just call her and see," he challenged.

"Hermione," Harry called to the snake.

The large snake slithered across the floor to him. It raised it large head off the floor and said in a low hiss, "Yes, mymaster."

"Who told youwhatyour name is?" Harry asked the creature.

"You just did, my master," the snake answered.

"Son of a bitch," Harry said, as he turned to face Slytherin.

Slytherin just chuckle at him and said, "Don't feel bad, Mr. Potter. I've been fooling wizards for a very long time. I am Slytherin after all."

"I can just change her name if I want," Harry told him.

"She will imprint on the first name she hears. You can call her something else, but she won't respond," Slytherin said with a smirk.

"Did you ever think that there is a reason so few people have sought you out?" Harry asked Slytherin.

"I'm quite proud of the image history has painted for me, Mr. Potter. It's not very accurate, but it is memorable. Even as the evil wizard of Hogwarts, I will be remembered long after Godric is forgotten," Slytherin said proudly.

"It doesn't bother you that most people think you're a Muggle-hating monster?" Harry asked.

"They called me that long before I made this Oracle, Mr. Potter," Slytherin told Harry.

"So, you did hate Muggles," Harry said in an accusing voice.

"Yes, they were fifthly disgusting creatures for the most part. Although, six of my nine wives were Muggles," Slytherin said.

"You had nine wives?" Harry asked.

"Only one at a time, Mr. Potter. I was two hundred nineteen when I made this Oracle. That averages out to over twenty years apiece for each one. Take my advice, Mr. Potter. Always marry a Muggle. You don't want a women living with you that has that kind of power at her disposal," Slytherin warned. "I once spent six months trapped in the body of a pig, simply because I forgot an anniversary."

"I married a witch a week ago," Harry told him.

"That's right, someone from the Black family. Well, you're a braver man than I, Mr. Potter. Even in my day no one was fool enough to do that by choice," Slytherin said.

"I didn't have a choice. The Ministry forced me," Harry informed him.

"Be very careful with that one, Mr. Potter. There's a very good reason the Black Widow is on their family crest," Slytherin told him. Harry felt very uncomfortable talking to this image of Slytherin about his marriage. In the short time they had been talking, he could tell that this Oracle was not to be trusted. It was still Slytherin, after all.

"Well, I have to get going. I don't want to be late getting back to Gryffindor," Harry said, trying to sound polite.

"Feel free to come back anytime, Mr. Potter. And let Miss Weasley know she is welcome here, too. It's been a very long time since I've had a smart, attractive young witch to talk to," Slytherin said with a gleam in his eye.

'Like I'd let Ginny anywhere near an old pervert like you,' Harry thought to himself. "I'll let her know," Harry said, as he bent down and picked up the skull.

"Be very careful with that skull, Mr. Potter. Those fangs are still very poisonous," Slytherin warned.

"Don't worry, I'm always careful around dead thing," Harry said, as he walked out of the Chamber of Secrets. As soon as he heard the chamber entrance close, he turned to look behind him. The basilisk was on the floor of the tunnel, following him.

"What do you want?" Harry asked the large snake.

"I will protect mymaster," the snake replied.

"I don't need your protection. Now go away. Go on, shoo," Harry shouted at the snake.

"Very well, master," the snake said, as it turned around and headed back towards the chamber. Harry wasn't sure, but he thought the snake almost sounded like its feelings were hurt.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was Wednesday, September 18, the day before Hermione would officially turn sixteen. She didn't feel much like celebrating. In less than two weeks, she would have to marry Snape unless a miracle happened. She felt like a death-row prisoner hoping for the governor to call.

She entered the Great Hall for lunch with Ginny at her side. Hermione kept a close eye on the Slytherin table as she passed by. Draco was present, sitting between his two thug protectors. He was staring at her with murder in his eyes. As they passed by, Hermione took out her wand and gave Ginny a slight swat on her bottom while smiling at Draco.

"What was that for?" Ginny asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"Just reminding myself of something," Hermione said with a smile.

"Tie a string around your finger next time," Ginny said, as they made their way down the table where Harry and Ron sat.

Just before reaching her friends, Hermione stopped as she saw something unbelievable. Millicent Bulstrode was sitting at her table, chatting away to her friends, with a brand new prefect's badge on her robe. "Hermione," Ginny said, trying to get her attention.

"Bulstrode has a prefect's badge," Hermione said in complete disbelief.

"I know. Snape gave it to her this morning," Ginny told her, as they move down the table again.

"But she's an utter moron," Hermione said, as she took her seat next to Ginny.

"Who's a moron?" Ron asked.

"Bulstrode," Ginny answered.

"No arguments here. I think one of her parents was a trained gorilla," Ron jokingly said. Harry snorted pumpkin juice through his nose at hearing what his friend said.

"I can't believe that greaseball gave Pansy's badge to that behemoth," Hermione angrily said.

"Every house has to have six prefects, Hermione. Even if Pansy does come back, they won't put her back in Slytherin," Harry said.

"But Millicent, Harry. The girl has a five o'clock shadow on her face by 3 pm ever day. She spends more on shaving equipment than my dad," Hermione seriously said.

"It's that one eyebrow that gets me," Ginny said, then gave herself a shudder.

"It's a disgrace to let an imbecile like that wear a Hogwartsprefect's badge. Did you know, when she first got to Hogwarts she thought that Muggles were hatched from eggs? I even caught her eating paste once. That was just last year. What next, are they going to make Goyle, Head boy," Hermione said in frustration.

"The dumber she is, the better for us, Hermione. It will be easier getting things past her than it would have been with Pansy," Harry told her.

"You're probably right, Harry. It's just I get so mad when it think of her wearing that badge. It somehow cheapens my own" Hermione irritably said.

"I think that has more to do with how she got it, instead of who got it," Harry said.

"How is Pansy doing at the Burrow, Ron?" Hermione asked.

"Okay, I guess. Mom says she's talking a little more. Fred and George said she follows Mom around everywhere like a lost puppy. She even slept in Mom's bed for the first week. Dad had to sleep in my room. Mom said she's going to take Pansy to Diagon Alley this weekend for a new wand and some clothes," Ron told her.

"Have you guys set a date, yet?" Hermione asked.

"I'm letting Mom handle that. She'll let me know when Pansy is ready," Ron answered.

"She's already picked a date," Ginny informed him.

"What? When?" Ron asked in surprise.

"October first. Mom and Mrs. Granger are planning a double-wedding. It will be much cheaper that way," Ginny said.

"WHAT!" both Hermione and Ron shouted.

"When did they decide on this?" Hermione asked with a shocked look on her face.

"Just this week. Your mother is going to tell you about it this weekend. I promised Mum I wouldn't tell you; so act surprised when you find out," Ginny told her. " They thought it would be a good idea because we'll only miss one day of school. They're going to set up a big tent in the field behind the Burrow. Dumbledore's going to perform the ceremony and I get to be your and Pansy's maid of honor. Which is great, because Mum is letting me buy a new dress for the wedding. It's not going to be one of those ugly brides maid's dresses, either. I'm going find something that makes me look really hot," Ginny said with a wicked smile.

"I can't believe my mom is planning my wedding without me," Hermione said with an annoyed look on her face.

"All mothers do that, Hermione," Ginny said. "It's some kind of biological need they have. Don't you want a big wedding, anyway?" she asked.

"No, not with Snape. I prefer to have a quick and painless wedding like Marietta and Flint had. Just ten minutes in the wedding chapel at Hogsmeade with only a couple of witnesses. The thought of having all my friends and family watching as I'm forced to marry that greasy git, just turns my stomach," Hermione said with a look of disgust.

"Well, at least you won't have to do it alone. Ron's going to get married at the same time; so only half of the people will be staring at you. Maybe you'll get lucky; Snape might burn up if he's in the sunlight too long," Harry jokingly said.

"Two wedding at once; who thought that up?" Hermione asked sound very aggravated.

"Dumbledore," Ginny answered. "He thought it would be a lot safer to do them both at the same time. That way, he can have all of the _Old Crowd_ there at once. Just in case some uninvited guests show up."

"Well, I guess it's really going to happen," Ron said. "So Harry, are you ready to be my Best Man?"

"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Ron. Remember, I'll probably have to bring you-know-who with me. I can just see Narcissa at the Burrow. It wouldn't take her five minutes before she insults everyone there," Harry warned.

"My Mum and Mrs. Malfo- I mean Potter-Black in the same room together. It might be even better than when Hermione's parents met Snape," Ginny said with a smile.

"Do you have to bring her, Harry?" Ron asked.

"It's kind of expected that a man bring his wife to a wedding. It would look pretty weird if I showed up without her. Believe me, I'd rather not bring her at all; I'd rather bring that big snake that's under the school instead of her," Harry told him.

"Don't remind me that thing is down there," Ginny said with a pale look on her face. "I've had nightmares ever since you told us about it."

"Don't worry, Gin, it won't come into the school unless someone tells it to. And only you and I can do that, as far as I know," Harry told her.

"Me, how can I tell that thing what to do?" Ginny asked with a confused look on her face.

"Because Parseltongue is a Magical gift, not a learned language," Hermione told her. "Once you have spoken it, the gift can't be taken away."

"That's what Slytherin told me," Harry said.

"So Harry, when are you going to take us down to meet Slytherin?" Hermione asked.

"What? I wasn't ever planning on going back down there. That thing give me the creeps, and I'm not talking about the snake," Harry seriously said.

"It's an Oracle of a founder, Harry. Imagine all that we can learn from it," Hermione said, trying to convince him.

"I don't trust it, Hermione. If you want to talk to an Oracle, just go to the kitchen. Hufflepuff's is there. It's a baker's oven," Harry suggested.

"Every third-year knows about the talking oven that claims to be Hufflepuff. I've spoken to it. It just wanted to give me recipes for different dishes," Hermione said, sounding disappointed. "Besides, Ravenclaw's is the one I really want to talk to. But legend says that Ravenclaw's won't appear to you unless you've seen the other three Oracles first."

"I'll think about it," Harry said in a very non-committal way.

"Just don't ask me to take you," Ginny said, as she squirmed in her seat with one of her arms behind her back.

"Ginny, what are you doing?" Hermione asked.

"It's this damn bra mom sent me to replace the one I gave Pansy. It itches and I think it's too small," Ginny said, as she continued to try readjusting her bra.

"Just take it off and put on another. There's plenty of time before our next class to make a quick trip to Gryffindor," Hermione suggested.

"I've tried that already. The clasp in the back is stuck, and the straps are so tight on my shoulders I couldn't pull them down. I'll just have to use my wand and cut it off at the end of the day," Ginny told her.

"Uh, Ginny, has your front grown recently?" Hermione asked, as she stared at her friend's chest.

"Well maybe just a little," Ginny said proudly, as she pushed her chest forward for Hermione to see.

"Put those things away, Ginny," Ron anxiously said, as he put his hand in front of her. I don't want every bloke in here to see my sister's you-know-whats. Harry, keep your eyes to yourself," Ron told his friend, who seemed to be mesmerized by the sight of Ginny's outwardly pointing bosoms.

"Merlin, Ginny. You have really grown," Hermione said in amazement.

"You really think so. I was hoping to get at least another cup size before I stopped growing," Ginny said.

"I saw you yesterday in the prefect's shower Ginny. You were nowhere near this size. You're even bigger than Pansy. No one can grow a whole cup and half overnight," Hermione said, giving Ginny's chest a suspicious look.

"What do you think it means?" Ginny asked.

"Ginny, turn towards me," Hermione asked her. As soon as she did, Hermione reached out with her right hand and placed it on Ginny's left breast. She gave it a couple of soft squeezes and asked, "How does this feel?"

"Strange. Like you're not really touching me, just my bra," Ginny answered. Hermione placed her other hand on Ginny's right breast. Suddenly, there was a clatter of dishes down the length of the table. Neville, Seamus, Dean, and the rest of the Gryffindor males present were all frozen in shock and delight at what the two girls were doing.

"There's something really strange about this bra, Ginny," Hermione said with a worried expression, as she released her grip on Ginny. "I'd better check it out to make sure there's nothing dangerous about it," Hermione said, as she took out her wand and pointed it at Ginny's chest. "_Reperi Arcanum Acutus_."

"NO WAIT!" Ginny shouted while putting her hands up in front of her, but it was too late. As soon as Hermione's revealing spell hit her chest, steam shot out of Ginny's collar and from under her jumper. Suddenly, both of her breasts began to grow at a very rapid rate. Within seconds, she was sporting a set of double D's. Ten second later, they were the size of Bludgers. Ginny's jumper slit right down the middle; her blouse tore open shooting buttons everywhere. The two white cotton cups of her bra continued to stretch without ripping. "Hermione," Ginny said with a desperate look in her eyes.

"Don't worry Gin, I'll fix it," Hermione said, as she pointed her wand at Ginny again. "_Finite Incantatem_." Instead of stopping, her breasts started growing even faster. They were nearly the size of two small beach balls when Hermione finally said, "Come on Ginny; let's get you to the hospital wing." As the two girls rose out of their seats, Ginny's two massive mammary glands shot upwards, lifting her into the air. Hermione quickly lunged forward, grabbing hold of one of Ginny's legs before she could rocket toward the ceiling. To her amazement and terror, Hermione felt herself starting to rise. Ron quickly grabbed hold of Ginny's other leg. Incredibly, he to began to rise.

When they were both nearly a foot off the ground, Hermione felt someone grab her legs. She looked down to see Neville with his arms wrapped around her knees. She felt a little embarrassed that he could see right up her skirt. Harry grabbed hold of both Ron's legs. They weren't rising any more, but Hermione felt her grip on Ginny's leg begin to slowly loosen. Ginny screamed for help, as Hermione was slipping down her leg. The Great Hall was filled with shouts of terror coming from some and uncontrollable laughter coming from the Slytherin table. Soon, Hermione only had hold of Ginny's shoe. Suddenly, with a pop, Hermione fell away with only a shoe in her hand. She crashed down on top of Neville. Ginny, Ron, and Harry shot skyward. They were only eight feet in the air when Ron's arms finally gave out. He and Harry crashed to the ground with a hard thud.

Ginny soared upward toward the ceiling. Just when it looked like she was going to crash into the wooden rafters, two large, pink, rubber nipples popped out of the front of her huge, white cotton boobs. Sparks and bright pink smoke shot out of each fake nipple. Ginny began to zoom and twirl through the air, leaving a pink smoke trail behind her. The sound of flatulence filled the Great Hall as Ginny continue to spin and whip through the air. Several people, including Hermione, tried to train their wands on Ginny so that they could perform a levitation spell. Slowly, Ginny began to reduce speed as her two hot air balloons lost their steam. As suddenly as it began, the pink smoke stopped and Ginny, instead of falling straight to the ground, drifted down like a falling leaf.

Hermione and Ron grabbed hold of Ginny just as she neared the floor. With the exception of being very dizzy and having extreme wind-blown hair, Ginny looked relatively unharmed.

"LOOK!" Padma Patil shouted from the Ravenclaw table as she pointed toward the ceiling. There, above everyone's heads, was the smoke trail Ginny had left behind. Written across the enchanted sky in bright pink ten-foot high letters was the name, "_WEASLEYS' WIZARDING WHEEZES_." All of a sudden, nearly everyone in the Great Hall broke out in fits of laughter.

"THOSE BASTARDS!" Ginny shouted, as she stared up at the message. Hermione looked at her furious friend. The trick bra she was wearing had been stretched completely out of shape. It hung loosely off her shoulders with the huge cups dangling at her waist. Both of Ginny's normal-sized breasts were exposed for all to see.

"GINNY!" Hermione shouted to get her friend's attention over the laughter of the crowd. As Ginny turned to face her, Hermione reached out and pulledGinny's robe closed. Seeing why Hermione had called her name, Ginny quickly crossed her arms in front of her. Tears began to stream down her face as her anger was replaced by utter humiliation. Hermione's own anger rapidly grew out of control as she witnessed the horrible pain on Ginny's face. Nothing would stop Hermione from completely castrating the twins the next time they were unlucky enough to cross her path. She wrapped her arm around Ginny's shoulder and said, "Come on, Gin, let give you back to Gryffindor."

As she and Ginny made their way past the Slytherin table, Hermione heard some of them call out to Ginny the most vile things she has ever heard. When they reached the corridor, Professor McGonagall ran up to meet them. "Miss Granger, what has happen?" the Professor demanded.

"Someone played a very cruel prank on Ginny," she answered. "I'm taking her back to our dorms."

"I'll take Miss Weasley back to Gryffindor Tower. You are needed right away in the Headmaster's office. Go there immediately, Miss Granger," McGonagall ordered. Hermione transferred her crying friend to the Professor's embrace. She watched as the two headed for Gryffindor Tower.

A short time later, Hermione entered the Headmaster 's office. Standing next to Dumbledore's desk was the one person in the world she hated almost as much as Voldemort. There, with his fish head and over-sized glasses, was Thomas Fitage, Undersecretary of Wizard Health and Well-Being. "Good news Miss Granger. You don't have to marry Professor Snape," the little wizard told her with a smile on his face. "We changed your betrothed to Lucius Malfoy."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

A/N's: I know I promised that Hermione and Snape would get hitched in this chapter. I really did plan it that way, but this chapter was just getting too long. I needed the stuff with Harry in the chamber for the end of the story. I'm more than half done with the next chapter, which is all about Hermione and Snape's wedding. At least now you all know why they have to rush into it. Just give me a couple of day to finish it.

Some of you might think what happened to Ginny was a bit cruel, even for the twins. But she will get a very just and proper revenge on those two. They'll regret what they did to her for a very long time.

Some of you should keep in mind that Slytherin's comments about the local Christians of his time were from his narrow point of view. He did live in the dark ages after all. You'll notice that most wizards and witches in Hogwarts are Christians and even celebrate Christmas. They know their magic has nothing to do with their faith.

Please review and let me know what you think.

Next chapter coming real soon.


	16. Not Playing By The Rule part two

Author's Notes:

Here it finally is. Will Hermione have to marry Lucius Malfoy? Or will Snape come to her rescue? Read on and find out.

I just want to say thanks to all my lovely reviewers. You make writing this story a real pleasure.

This was beta'd by Nakhash Makashefah after she was kidnapped and taken away to a horrible place called, "The dark dimension of Shreveport." Luckily, our heroine escaped her captors and returned safely to her computer to proofread this chapter for me.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 16. Not playing by the rules. Part two.

As Hermione stood there in shock at what the little wizard had just told her, Snape appeared out of the fireplace in a rush of green flames.

"What is he doing here?" Snape angrily said, as he moved menacingly towards the little Ministry wizard, his wand still in his hand. Fitage quickly retreated to safety behind Dumbledore.

"Mr. Fitage is here to inform us that there has been a change in the marriage contract involving you and Miss Granger," Dumbledore informed him.

"How so?" Snape asked while eyeing the little wizard with suspicion.

"We at the Ministry have decided to dissolve your marriage contract. You will no longer have to marry Miss Granger," Fitage told him.

"Really?" Snape asked almost gleefully.

"They're going to force me to marry Malfoy," Hermione angrily shouted at Snape.

"Draco?" he asked with a puzzled look.

"No, worse. His blood-sucking father," Hermione anxiously stated. "How can the Ministry do this? Mr. Malfoy already has an heir?" Hermione desperately asked.

"Mr. Fitage, would you care to explain?" the Headmaster politely inquired.

"Certainly, Professor," the little wizard answered, as he stepped out from behind Dumbledore. As soon as Hermione saw the small wizard reach into his robes and pull out his infamous clipboard, she got a very sick feeling in her stomach. "The Ministry has mistakenly betrothed Mr. Malfoy's wife, Narcissa Black, to Mr. Potter, under the new blood marriage law 246-bs416. The Ministry nowfeels obligated to rectify this situation. It has been determined that Mr. Malfoy is just as good a match for you as Professor Snape. We have found an alternative partner for him."

"What alternative partner?" Snape demanded.

"We have found an excellent replacement spouse for you, Professor. She is a half-blood with ties to another noble bloodline," Fitage said, trying to reassure the angry dark man.

"WHO!" Snape demanded more forcefully.

"Nymphadora Tonks," Fitage answered.

"Absolutely not," Snape said in very cold, emotionless voice.

"Professor Snape, I can assure you that Miss Tonks is a very desirable young woman. Not many know this, but she is actually a natural born Metamorphmagus. That is extremely rare. Miss Tonks will still look eighteen years old when she is a hundred and eighteen years of age. At the age of twenty-two, she is much closer to your own age than is Miss Granger," Fitage said, ending his sales pitch.

"No," Snape simply said, as he crossed his arms in front of him.

"Professor Snape, maybe you didn't hear me correctly? She's a Metamorphmagus with noble blood and is a fully trained Auror with the Ministry. Being associated with an upstanding member of the Ministry could only help your pubic persona," Fitage told Snape. Hermione watched as a large vein began to pulse next to Snape's right temple.

"She is a Black, you foolish little insect," Snape insultingly stated, as he glared down at the small wizard. "The Blacks and Potters are now the same family. I hated both separately, but I absolute loathe them together. There is no way I'm going to curse my family's good name by marrying a member of that lot." Fitage just gave Snape a look of bafflement."You also forgot to mention that Miss Tonks is a disaster walking on two feet. If you look out that window behind you to the east, you will see Hogwarts' four green houses. Before Miss Tonks came to Hogwarts, we had six. She once set fire to the lake - the whole lake. I am a Potions master surrounded by very dangerous compounds at all times. The kind of carnage she could create is unthinkable. You can tell the Ministry 'no thank you' on my behalf, Mr. Fitage. I will stick with Granger," Snape informed him.

Hermione didn't know what to think; she didn't know if she should be happy that Snape chose her over Tonks, or not. The one thing she did know was that there was no way in hell she was ever going to marry Malfoy.

"Professor Snape, did you not send a letter to the Head Minister's office informing him that you didn't wish to marry Miss Granger?" Fitage asked. "You stated in your letter that it would be virtually impossible for you to perform your duties here at this school with a student as your bride."

"The lesser of two evils, Mr. Fitage. Granger is considerably more tolerable than that childish, clown-headed, walking catastrophe," Snape answered.

"I'm afraid the decision as already been made, Professor Snape. The Head Minister has already approved these new contracts," Fitage informed everyone.

"I WILL NOT MARRY MALFOY!" Hermione furiously shouted. "He's a murderer and a rapist. And he is the Dark Lord's right hand man."

"In case you haven't read the Daily Prophet lately, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy has been cleared of any involvement with Dark wizards or magic. He is an upstanding member of the Wizarding community who has suffered wrongly at the hands of jealous individuals, who took advantage of their positions in the Ministry. You should feel very privileged that a man of his caliber sees fit to take you as his bride. I'll have you know that he requested you personally," Fitage told her.

"Oh, I bet he did," Hermione sarcastically said. "I'd hang myself with my own school tie before I'd ever let that perverted monster lay a hand on me. So you can take your precious little clipboard and your new contracts and shove it right up your tight arse. Then, take yourself straight back to Fudge's office and let him smell it."

"Miss Granger, your opinion of Mr. Malfoy is irrelevant. You will marry him, and the Professor will marry Miss Tonks," Fitage heatedly told her. "I came here as a simple courtesy, not to be insulted by some mere child with a head full of paranoid nonsense."

"Mr. Fitage, I still have a legal contract to marry Miss Granger. What's to stop us from marrying, despite the Ministry's change of plans?" Snape calmly asked.

"As soon as these new contracts are signed, your old contract will be voided, Professor Snape" Fitage answered.

"And who signs these new contracts?" Snape asked, as he twirled his wand between the fingers of his left hand. Hermione thought there was something very strange about how calm he was acting.

"I do," Fitage answered. "I plan to sign them as soon as I return to my office, so you won't have time to sneak off to the nearest chapel and get married. Remember, the marriage contract is only legal when the marriage has been consummated. I doubt you'll have time for that in the ten minute it will take me to return and sign both contracts," Fitage confidently told Snape.

Hermione was amazed that an actually smile appeared on Snape's face. He turned to look at the Headmaster. "Nothing too harsh or permanent, Severus," Headmaster told him.

Fitage just stared at the Headmaster with a puzzled look on his face. Finally, he asked, "What do you by that?"

"What he means, my dear Mr. Fitage, is it's about time you learned what it's like to no longer have any control over your own life. Now, just what would be appropriate in this situation?" Snape asked himself, as he tapped his wand on his left temple. "Ah, I have just the thing," Snape said, as he lowered his wand, pointing it at the now trembling wizard. Fitage held his clipboard tightly with both hands in front of him, as if it were a shield that could protect him.

"BANG!"

There was small puff of blue smoke where Fitage once stood. His clipboard fell to the ground. Hermione stared at the spot the wizard had just occupied. Sitting on the floor of the Headmaster's office, next to the clipboard, was a small white and tan Guinea pig. It had a set of dark rings around it eyes that reminded Hermione of Fitage's glasses. Dumbledore leaned down and picked the trembling little creature up into his hands. Snape stepped forward and pointed his wand at Fitage's clipboard. With a quick Transfiguration spell, he changed it into a small cage the size of a hatbox. It even had a little wheel inside and a water dish. Snape pick up the cage and opened the small trap door. Gently as he could, Dumbledore pushed Fitage's furry little body inside.

"That should hold the little nuisance for a while," Snape said, as he shut the trap door and placed the cage on the Headmaster's desk.

"We must work quickly Severus. Mr. Fitage needs to back in his office no later than tomorrow morning," Dumbledore told him.

"I agree, Headmaster. We should perform the ceremony as soon as possible. It should be done here at Hogwarts so that no one has time to warn the Ministry," Snape suggested.

"I can perform the ceremony as soon as classes have ended for the day. It should take place outside near the lake, where there is less chance of being overseen," Dumbledore told Snape.

"Wait a minute," Hermione said, not believing what she was hearing. "You want us to get married today?" she asked the Headmaster.

"Yes, Miss Granger," Dumbledore answered.

"Unless you prefer to be the next Mrs. Malfoy," Snape told her.

"Of course not, it's just…" Hermione paused. "What about my parents? Is there enough time to bring them here?" she asked.

"I'm afraid not, Hermione," Dumbledore said. "The Ministry is undoubtedly still keeping an eye on them. We don't want to do anything to arouse their suspicions."

"I can't believe this," Hermione said in frustration. "I have to go through this alone without even my mum being there."

"You will not be alone, Hermione. I will be there, and so will your Head of House, Professor McGonagall," Dumbledore said, trying to reassure her.

Shaking her head, Hermione disappointedly said, "I guess, once again, I'm left without a choice. I have one request, though."

"Anything, if it's possible, Hermione," the Headmaster said, as he put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"The ceremony must take place after midnight," Hermione told him.

"Why midnight?" Snape asked.

"Tomorrow is my birthday. I will officially be sixteen. It might not matter that much in the Wizarding world, but in the Muggle world people don't usually marry before they are at least sixteen," Hermione answered.

"I think we can accommodate you, Hermione," Dumbledore said with a smile. "There will be less chance of any stray eyes about at that hour. I'll send Professor McGonagall to collect you at eleven forty-five, from Gryffindor."

"Can I bring my friends?" Hermione asked.

"Secrecy is essential, Hermione. If more than one of you is seen leaving the tower at midnight, it might draw unwanted attention," Dumbledore warned.

"How about just one friend. It's not unusual for someone to escort someone else to the hospital wing late at night," Hermione suggested.

"Very well, Miss Granger. Just one. You can tell this person about your upcoming nuptials, but no one else. Make sure this person is very trustworthy, Hermione. I recommend that you only tell them after curfew," the Headmaster told her.

"Okay," Hermione agreed.

"May I ask who you will be bringing with you, Hermione?" Dumbledore asked.

"Um, Ginny. No, wait, Parvati. I'll need to borrow a dress, and she has lots of them," Hermione answered.

"Very well, I'll see you and Miss Patil this evening," Dumbledore said. "Severus, would you care to bring anyone to the ceremony?"

"For what purpose?" Snape asked dryly.

"I'll ask Hagrid to attend on your behalf," Dumbledore said, ignoring the younger man's question.

"If that is all, Headmaster, I have a class starting in ten minutes. I will take Mr. Fitage to find him a more secluded place to spend the night," Snape said, as he picked up the small cage.

"I will see you this evening, Severus. Please try to find some appropriate attire," Dumbledore suggested.

Snape didn't comment, he simply took a pinch of Floo powder, threw it into the fireplace, and said, "Potions Laboratory." With a flare of green flame, he and his small captive were gone. A chill ran down Hermione's spine as she realized the next time she saw the man, she would have to marry him.

"Professor, can I ask you a question?" Hermione asked, as she turned to face the old wizard.

"Of course, my dear," he answered, as he took his seat behind his desk.

"Why do you trust him?" she simply asked.

"That is not a easy question to answer, Hermione," Dumbledore said, as he stared at her over his half-moon glasses. "I can only say that he has proven himself to me on many occasions."

"You let him join the Order when he was just sixteen. You won't even let Harry do that," Hermione said to Dumbledore.

"Severus is the reason I no longer allow witches and wizards younger than nineteen join the Order. Severus was too young and inexperienced to deal with the pressures we placed upon him," the Headmaster told her with some regret.

"Why did you let him join so young?" she asked.

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and placed his hands together on his chest. "Hermione, are you aware that Severus had a very traumatic experience during his sixth year at Hogwarts, involving Professor Lupin and Harry's father?" Dumbledore asked.

"I know the story. Sirius tricked Snape into going through the secret passageway that leads to the Shrieking Shack, on the night of the full moon. Harry's father saved Snape from being killed by Lupin," Hermione said.

"Yes, that is true. Do you realize, Miss Granger, that it is a crime to teach werewolves magic?" the Headmaster asked.

"Yes, Professor Lupin is the only one I've ever heard of coming to Hogwarts," Hermione answered.

"Remus was a young wizard of extraordinary talent. Professor McGonagall and I decided to disobey the Ministry and allow Remus to attend Hogwarts. After his near death experience with Remus, Severus was determined to turn him into the Ministry. He demanded that James and Sirius be expelled, as well. I explained to him that if word of what happened were to reach the Ministry, both Professor McGonagall and I would be forced to leave Hogwarts. The Ministry would undoubtedly bring charges against us both. Severus agreed not to go to the Ministry. What you may not realize, Hermione, is that Severus has a closer relationship to your Head of House than you think," Dumbledore said.

"I know. She's his godmother," Hermione told the Headmaster. "He told me about it last Sunday."

"I'm happy to hear that your meeting with Severus was fruitful," the Headmaster said with a smile. Hermione wouldn't have characterized the meeting with Snape as 'fruitful.' "Severus might have detested Sirius, James, and Remus, but he was not about to send his own godmother to Azkaban, to get revenge. But, being a very good Slytherin, Severus asked for something in return, for his silence."

"To join the Order," Hermione said.

"Correct."

"He has the Dark Mark, now; you still think he can be trusted?" Hermione asked.

"He has had it for more than half of his life, Hermione. He is still with us, fighting against the Dark Lord," Dumbledore answered.

"I guess you're right, Professor. If he was going to betray you, he would have done so a long time ago," Hermione suggested.

"He doesn't have it in him to betray his us, Hermione. He would see that as an act of absolute weakness. He would die before letting that happen," the Headmaster assured her.

"Can I ask one more favor, Professor?" Hermione asked.

"Certainly," he answered.

"Can I speak with the Sorting Hat?" Hermione asked, as she stared up at the old brown Hat sitting on the shelf behind him.

"I don't see why not," Dumbledore answered. "He seems currently unoccupied." Dumbledore got up, turned around, and lifted the shabby Hat off of the self. He walked around his desk and placed the Hat on her head.

The Hat fell down past her ears. The black, inside of the old Hat was all she could see. For a moment, there was nothing, then a small voice said in her ear, "Is there something I can do for you, Miss Granger?"

"Uh, yes. I wanted to know if you really are the Oracle of Godric Gryffindor?" she asked the Hat in a quiet voice.

"An Oracle, you say. No one has called me that in over a hundred years," the Hat said to her.

"So it's true, then?"

"Yes," the Hat answered.

"Did Slytherin create you?" she asked.

"Of course not," the Hat irritably stated. "He simply finished what I had already started. And a piss-poor job he did, at that. He poured my memories into this Hat, like he was pouring old soup down a drain. A good portion of my childhood spilled across the floor. The fool thought he was being comical by using my hat instead of the statue I had planned. Salazar thought he could silence me for good. But I wasn't about to let being trapped in this hat stop me from overseeing this school. It's hard to believe I ever called that scaly bag of hot air, my friend."

"In one of your songs, you said that you were created when Godric whipped you off his head, and they all gave yousome of their brains so that you could choose for them," Hermione said to the Hat.

"I must admit to some dramatic license," the Hat told her. "It wouldn't do to say I was shot off his head by a crossbows projectile, would it? I did receive the requirements for their houses from my fellow founders. I have always strived to keep to their requests, to the best of my abilities. It is not always easy. Most students can fit into more than one house, with ease."

"What about me, shouldn't I have been put in Ravenclaw?" Hermione asked.

"No," the Hat forcefully said. "Ravenclaw would have done you no good. Your thirst for knowledge was already at its peak. I doubt putting you in Hufflepuff would have changed that. What you needed was a house that would boost your confidence. I chose my own. Do you feel I made a mistake, Miss Granger?" the Hat asked.

Hermione thought about how she felt when she first arrived at Hogwarts. The truth was, she was terrified. If it wasn't for her friends and housemates, she might not have made it. "No, I guess you were right. I do feel a lot braver since joining Gryffindor," Hermione answered. "Is that why you put Professor Snape in Slytherin? You thought he needed something from there?"

"No. He was late. There was no more room anywhere else," the Hat sharply told her.

"Oh."

"Is there anything else I can do for you, Miss Granger?" the Hat impatiently asked.

"No, that's all," Hermione said. She then lifted the Hat off her head. Dumbledore took it from her and placed it back on the shelf.

"Did you get the answers you were looking for, Hermione?" he asked her.

"Yes, I guess," she answered.

"That's good to hear, Hermione. You should go, now. You have a class in less than five minutes, if I'm not mistaken," the Headmaster suggested.

"Actually, I was thinking about skipping my next class. It's History of Magic with Professor Binns. I have already studied the chapters he will be going over today," Hermione told him.

"Skipping a class? Are you sure you're feeling all right, Hermione?" Dumbledore asked lightheartedly with a smile.

"I'm fine, Professor. There are some things I need to take care of before tonight. You wouldn't happen to know where I could find Professor Lupin? There is something I was hoping he could help me with," Hermione asked.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

After Hermione had a quick shower and changed into her new pair of peach-colored knickers, she set off for the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. She was fortunate that Professor Lupin had this period free. The poor werewolf didn't know it, but he still had a lesson to teach this hour.

Hermione stopped in front of the classroom door. She took out her wand and gave one quick pass over her hair, to make sure it behaved itself. She readjusted the skirt she was wearing, to make sure both her knees showed. It was not her normal school skirt; instead, it was one she had worn during her fourth year. It was at least one size too small. Finally, she put her hand in front of her mouth and exhaled. Still minty fresh; she was ready. She knocked three times on the classroom door and waited. "Come in, Hermione," Remus's voice called from beyond the door.

"How did you know it was me?" Hermione asked, as she entered the room. Lupin was standing next to one of the rooms' many bookcases. He was apparently rearranging the textbooks in it.

"Albus just spoke with me. He told me about the new contracts. He also said you wanted my help with something," Remus answered.

"Um, uh, yes, I did," Hermione shyly said. She looked up into his beautiful amber eyes. Remus had been at Hogwarts for two weeks now, and there was a dramatic difference in his appearance. His hair was cut short and neat with fewer grays in it. His dark gray suit was clean and pressed, showing off his lean muscular form. He also seemed less tired than his usual self. Hermione felt herself become flushed as she stood next to him.

"How can I be of _service_, Hermione?" Remus asked. Hermione almost choked at his choice of words.

"Professor, as you know, I'm going to marry Snape at midnight," Hermione said.

"Yes, the Headmaster told me. I'm sorry that I won't be there, Hermione. I have important business back in London I need to take care of, this evening," Remus regretfully told her. Hermione didn't bother to ask. She knew it had something to do with the Order.

"Professor, you realize that after we get married, I will have to, uh…you know…. with Snape," Hermione sheepishly said.

"What?" Remus asked, giving her a puzzled look.

"You know. Consummate the marriage," Hermione said in frustration.

"OH, oh yes. I suppose you will," Remus said with a slightly embarrassed look on his face. Hermione couldn't help but stare at his full moist lips, wondering how they would taste.

"Professor, I have absolutely no experience in that kind of thing," Hermione informed him.

"I see," Remus said, giving her a knowing look. "Hermione, maybe this is something Professor McGonagall or Madam Pomfrey can help you with. I'm sure either of them will gladly give you all the information you need on the subject," Remus said with a slight blush to his cheeks. Hermione almost laughed at the thought of asking McGonagall about sex.

"Professor, information is not what I'm after. I've read enough books on the subject to know how everything works. What I was hoping you could help me with is _physical_ _instruction_?" Hermione asked.

"Physical instruction? I'm not sure what you mean, Hermione." Remus said with a confused expression on his face.

"I don't want my first time to be with Snape!" Hermione bluntly told him. Remus's eyes grew really large as the realization of what she was asking dawned on him.

"Oh, uh, Hermione, I'm very flattered. But I can't do what you ask," Remus told her, as his face began to redden.

"Sure you can, Professor," Hermione said in a silky voice, as she stepped forward, closing the distance between them. "You know I have absolute trust in you, Remus. I'd really appreciate it if you do this for me." Hermione reached up and placed her left hand on his chest. She could feel his heart beating very fast. She didn't know if that was a good or bad thing, at the moment. This was her first attempt at a seduction, after all.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. It's impossible," Remus nervously said, as he retreated back a step. Hermione quickly moved forward, until she was standing only inches away again.

"Please, Professor Lupin. It will only take ten, maybe twenty minutes of your time," Hermione said, as she reached up and undid one of the buttons of his vest. Remus seemed to be in a slight trance, as he stared down at her fingers, which were busy trying to undo a second button.

"Hermione, I'm your professor. You're my student. It would be completely inappropriate," Remus stated, as he snapped out of his trance and withdrew once again, this time placing his desk between them.

"Snape is also my professor. Nobody seems to have a problem with _him_ having sex with his student," Hermione said, as she sat on the edge of his desk. Her skirt was riding up enough that most of her thighs showed. Remus's eyes kept betraying him. They continued to shift between her face and legs. Hermione was almost sure that, from his angle, he could catch a slight glimpse of her peach knickers.

"Severus is your betrothed, Hermione. You'll be man and wife when he…. when he…when he, you know," Remus stammered.

"Yes, but he won't be my choice. I would prefer that my first time be with someone I respected and cared about. Someone mature enough to help me, without it being a problem that I have to marry Snape shortly," Hermione said in what she hoped was a seductively pleading voice.

"That's the problem, Hermione," Remus told her. "Did you consider how Severus would feel if he learned that I, or someone else, made love to his bride less than a day before the wedding?"

"Who cares how he feels? He sure as hell doesn't care how I feel. He treats me as if I were the ex-Death Eater that no one wanted. He is damn lucky to have me, but he'll never realize it. All he sees when he looks at me is my house colors, my age, and the fact that I'm a Muggle-born." Hermione angrily stated.

"Hermione, I've known Severus since he was eleven years old. What he shows you and who he really is, are two very different things. He equates closeness with pain and for good reason. He has lost too many times to openly seek companionship for himself, anymore. I'm sure if this law had never come to pass, he would have contently lived the rest of his life alone, in his dungeon. I know he respects you, Hermione; he's just not willing to show it yet. Your being a Muggle-born does matter to him, but not in the way you think. He fears that he won't be able to protect you. He fears that the same thing will happen to you that happened to Harry's mother. He fears that he will fail you like James failed Lily," Remus told her.

"I didn't ask to marry someone with three cartloads of emotional baggage. I didn't ask to marry anyone at all. Why can't I decide for myself who I want to give my virginity to? Shouldn't I at least have a choice in that?" Hermione asked, as she hopped off the desk and moved around it to where Remus stood. She placed one hand on his shoulder, looked up at him with her big brown eyes, and whispered, "Besides, he doesn't have to know. It could just be our little secret." Which was a lie. She would probably tell Snape about it as soon as they had their first argument.

"Severus is extremely good at finding these kind of things out, Hermione. Until I find another Potions master capable of making me my potion once a month, I'll need to stay in his good graces," Remus said to her.

"Don't you find me attractive, Professor?" Hermione asked, as she batted her eyes at him. She moved a little closer so that their thighs touched. Hermione wished she didn't have her school tie and jumper on. This might be a lot easier if she could show some cleavage.

"Of course you're attractive, Hermione. But I've known you since you were thirteen years old. I just can't see you in that kind of way," he told her. Hermione placed a hand on his groin. She could feel his erection, her first erection. Remus quickly jumped back away from her.

"It felt to me like you have no trouble seeing me like that, Professor. Come on, Remus. One quick shag, that's all I'm asking, " Hermione coyly said with a smile.

"Hermione, it's not going to happen. I'm sorry but it has to be this way," Remus forcefully told her, then started to re-button his vest.

It suddenly became clear to Hermione that she was wasting her time here. Remus did want her, but he didn't want her enough to betray that git, Snape. 'Shit, I wish it was closer to the full moon. I bet he would have jumped all over me, then,' she thought to herself. Hermione turned away from her professor and headed for the door.

"Where are you going, Hermione?" Remus asked.

"Plan 'B' Professor. Plan 'B'," she said, as she left the room.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Hermione had been waiting in the Gryffindor common room for nearly forty minutes, when the portal finally opened and students began to return from their classes. Hermione spotted her prey coming through the portrait with his messy overstuffed book bag on his shoulder. "Neville," Hermione shouted, as she ran up to him. "I need your help, Neville," Hermione said, as she took his hand and pulled him toward the stairs that led to the boys' dorms.

"Hermione, girls are not allowed in our dorm rooms," Neville informed her, as they made their way up to the six-year boys' dorms.

"I'm a prefect, Neville. I can come up here if I think something's going on that shouldn't be," she told him, as they entered his room. Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas were sitting on one bed together with a small box between them.

"What are you doing here," Seamus anxiously said, as he and Dean frantically tried to stuff something back in the box. "No girls allowed," he said, as they forced the lid back on the box. Hermione didn't have clue what was in the box. Most likely some kind of obscene pictures with young witches and not many clothes. Or it could be something from Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. She didn't care at the moment; she just wanted the two gone.

"You two, out, now," Hermione forcefully said.

"This is our dorm, Granger. You're the one that needs to leave," Seamus smugly told her.

"Neville and I need to go over a Potions project we have due. We don't need you two brothering us right now," Hermione said.

"Take Neville to your dorm, then. Snag a pair of Parvati's knickers for me while you're over there, Neville," Seamus jokingly said.

"Neville isn't a prefect. He can't go to the girls' dorms," Hermione informed them.

"Then just use the common room. We're not leaving just because you say so," Dean defiantly said to her.

"Listen, you two. You can leave now, or I can tell Professor McGonagall what you have in that box," Hermione warned with her hand on her hips. Looking very annoyed, the two teenagers hopped off the bed and headed for the door. Dean held the small box tightly under his left arm.

As they headed out of the room, Hermione heard Seamus say, "I'm beginning to feel sorry for Professor Snape." Hermione locked the door behind them, and then put a charm on it so that no one could open it.

"What Potions project, Hermione? Have I forgot something?" Neville nervously asked.

"No, Neville. I just said that to get rid of them," she told him. "Neville, what I need your help with is very personal. I need you to have sex with me."

"Wh…Wh...Wh…What?" Neville stammered.

"I want to lose my virginity, Neville. I have to do it today for reasons I can't explain right now," Hermione said.

"You want me to have sex with you?" Neville asked in amazement.

"Yes," she answered.

"Right here, right now?" he apprehensively asked.

"That's right. Right here, right now," Hermione told him. She watched as Neville's face started to turn blue. "Breathe, Neville, breathe," Hermione said, as she took hold of one of his arms. Neville let out a loud wheezy breath. He began to suck air in and breathe it right back out, very quickly. "Neville, slow down or you'll hyperventilate," she warned him. Hermione led Neville over to one of the beds and let him sit on the edge. "Put your head between your legs and breathe slowly," she told him. She had joked with Ginny that he would probably faint if she asked him, but she didn't really think it would happen. Eventually, Neville got control of his breath; he look at her with bloodshot eyes. "Are you going to be all right, Neville?" she asked.

"Sorry, Hermione. You just took me a little by surprise," he said in an apologetic voice.

"It's a bit of a surprise for me too, Neville. This whole day has been full of surprises," Hermione said, as she sat down next to him on the bed.

"But why?" Neville asked, giving her a baffled look. "Why now and why me?"

"Because I don't want to lose my virginity to Snape. I would prefer it to be someone I actually like. You're my only male friend that I trust, who isn't getting married. I have to do it today. I can't tell you why, I just do," she told him.

"Hermione, I uh, I uh, never did this before," Neville shyly told her.

"Don't worry, Neville, I've never done it before, either. You can call it a learning experience for the both of us," she said, trying to reassure him.

"What about Professor Snape? Don't you think he'll be mad if he finds out?" Neville fearfully asked.

"I won't tell him if you don't want me to," Hermione said. "It will just be our little secret. You can think about it every time he picks on you in class. You'll always know that you had me first." This seemed to spark something in Neville. Being able to hold something over Snape was probably his biggest fantasy. Sleeping with a pretty young witch was most likely a far second.

"Okay, Hermione. I'll do it," Neville told her. Hermione got up off the bed and took his hand. Slowly, Neville got up on his still unsteady feet. "Um, Hermione, I have to be in my next class in five minutes. I don't think that is enough time," he told her.

"Don't worry, Neville, we have plenty of time. I brought my Time-Turner with me. Once we're done, I'll take us back to when Dean and Seamus just left," she told him. Hermione reached over and started to undo Neville's tie. He stood perfectly still as if she were some kind of poisonous creature that was crawling across his neck. "Relax, Neville," she ordered. "This is something people do everyday. It's nothing to be afraid of. If you can face down ten Death Eaters, with a broken nose, then you can easily do this."

"Sorry, Hermione, I'm just a little nervous," Nevilletold her, as he began to tremble.

"There's nothing to be nervous about, Neville. Here, I'll show you," Hermione said, then reached out and took hold of Neville's very sweaty right hand.

She brought it up and placed it on her left breast. To Hermione's horror, she witnessed Neville's eyes roll back in his head until only the whites were showing. Like a petrified corpse, he fell over backwards, landing with a loud thud on the floor. "Dammit, Neville," she angrily said, as she looked down at the unconscious boy on the floor. "FUCK!" she shouted, as she turned and headed for the door, leaving Neville where he lay.

Trevor the Toad watched the irate young witch leave the room, from his warming rock on top of a cabinet. He looked down at his master lying on the floor. 'What a complete tosser,' the toad thought to himself. 'When I was at Hogwarts, no pretty young witches ever begged me for sex. They all went after my brother Sirius and his friend James." Trevor let out a loud croak as he thought about his childhood.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Hermione spotted her next target as she came down the stairs. "Ron," she shouted to the redhead sitting in a chair.

"What's up, Hermione?" he asked, as she came over. Ron had his shoes off and a Quidditch magazine in his hand.

"Don't you have a class now, Ron?" Hermione asked.

"Nope. Professor McGonagall gave me the afternoon off to look after Ginny. She was pretty upset about what the twins did," he answered. Hermione looked around the common room for Ginny. They were the only two there.

"Where is Ginny?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know. I think she went to the library to look up hexes, to use on Fred and George," Ron answered.

"You didn't go with her?" Hermione asked, giving him an irritated look.

"To the library? Are you kidding?" he asked. "Besides, I don't think Ginny wants any of her brothers around at the moment. She's even madder now than when I told her about Harry getting married." Hermione had the sudden urge to kick Ron in the shins. But she thought it might kill the mood.

"Ron, I need your help with something." Hermione asked.

"It doesn't have anything to do with schoolwork, does it?" Ron asked, giving her a reluctant look.

"No it doesn't, you lazy sod," Hermione angrily told him.

"Well then, sure. What do you need?" Ron asked.

"Ron, I don't know if you realize this, but I'm still a virgin," Hermione said.

"Yeah, Ginny told me you were looking for someone before Snape got to you," Ron said with a smile.

"Ginny told you that?" Hermione asked with disbelief.

"Yeah, she wanted me to help you out. Of course, that was before Draco got a hold of Pansy," Ron informed her.

"So, what do you think?" Hermione asked.

"About what?" Ron asked.

"About helping me out with sex, you bloody twit," Hermione angrily told him. She wondered if angry sex was as good as some people had told her.

"Oh that. Sorry, Hermione, I can't," Ron told her.

"WHAT? Why the hell not?" Hermione demanded.

"I promised my mum I wouldn't," he answered.

"How did your mom know I was going to even ask you?" she asked.

"She didn't. She told me not to have sex with anybody. She said it would be betraying Pansy if I did. Mum didn't think she could take that after what happened to her," Ron told her. Hermione had to admit, it did sound logical. She didn't know how Pansy would take it if she found out. One the other hand, Hermione was desperate and Ron was her last chance.

"What if we don't tell anyone, Ron? Would you help me?" Hermione asked.

"Sorry, Hermione, I still can't. Mum gave me this to make sure I didn't do anything," Ron said, as he held up his right arm. Hermione saw the thin gold bracelet around his wrist. It had a small unicorn on it. "She plans to check me personally when I go home. She said if I wasn't still a virgin on my wedding day, that sex would no longer be of any interest to me. I'm not sure what she meant by that, but I haven't even tossed off in the shower since she gave me this thing," Ron said, as he looked at the bracelet.

Realizing what he just said, Ron looked at Hermione with a very embarrassed look on his face. "Not that I ever do that in the shower. I mean, I never do it anywhere. I just meant ifI was going to, which I wouldn't. It was just a kind of figure of speech," Ron explained with a bead of sweat on his forehead.

"Oh please, Ron," Hermione said, as she placed her hands on her hips. "Everyone knows what you were doing in the bathroom when we spent the summer at number twelve. We could her you halfway down the hall, banging away. You really should have used a Silencing Charm if you were going to be making all that noise. You kept leaving your magazines in the loo when you were done, to. "_Witch Weekly,_" Ron? Couldn't you have at least used a _Victoria's Secret_ catalog?" Hermione asked.

"It's all I had at the time," Ron defensively answered with a touch of anger in his voice.

"It's no big deal, Ron. It's something that all teenage boys do," she informed him, trying to make him feel better about it.

"Do you do it?" he asked.

"Of course not," Hermione said with a look of disgust on her face. She could tell Ron didn't appreciate her answer.

"I can't help you out, Hermione," Ron flatlytold her. "Maybe you should go try Neville."

Hermione just turned away from him without speaking and went upto her dorm. Her ego had taken quite a blow now that she had failed three times in a row to give her virginity away. The only positive thing about Snape that she could think of, was that at least he would be a sure thing tonight.

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This chapter was too big to load in one piece, so I split it in half. I'll load the other half tomorrow. That way, I don't have to worry about it showing up before this one.

Can anyone tell me what Trevor the Toad's real name is?

Please review and tell me what you think. I'd really appreciate it.


	17. A Night To Remember

Author's Notes:

This is the chapter that got me in trouble last time. Now to fit rating guidelines, I have had to cut a large portion of the wedding night scene out. Unfortunately this means some of the humor was also cut with the sexual content. If you prefer the un-edited version, go to my authors page and look for the link to Sycophant Hex. It has my story in it un-cut version. You can also find this story on Adult Fan Fiction.

Beta'd by Nakhash Makashefah. Her support and guidence are priceless.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 17. A night to remember.

At eleven thirty, Hermione was almost done getting ready for her wedding. She had told both Parvati and Lavender about her upcoming ceremony with Snape. It would have been too hard to keep it from Lavender with her and Parvati getting ready in the same room. Lavender was a little upset, at first, about not being able to go to the wedding. But she felt much better once Hermione had agreed to let her do her hair. Lavender had begged Hermione to let her do her hair for years. She planned to open her own witches' salon after she apprenticed with a Glamour Mistress. She saw Hermione's hair as one of her greatest challenges.

Hermione had to admit that she was quite pleased with the job Lavender did. Her hair had never been that straight or shiny before. It was put up in a tight, neat swirl with a set of thin straight bangs, just above her eyebrows.

Parvati had spent three straight hours transfiguring two dresses for the ceremony. Hers was a royal blue evening dress with a thin white collar. A double set of white pearls, a pair of opened-toe shoes, and some white arm-length gloves, finished her outfit.

Hermione's dress was a white silk and lace gown with a straight bust line and two thin straps over her shoulders. She decided not to wear a veil or train. It would be hard enough seeing anything on a night with no moon. A veil and train would only complicate matters. Besides, she planned to save those kinds of things for when she got married for real.

"Just a couple more finishing touches," Parvati said, as she searched for something in her trunk. "Here they are," she said, as she removed a small wooden box. Hermione recognized it as a standard jewelry box. Of course, nothing is standard at Hogwarts. Parvati took out her wand, tapped the top of the box with it, and said, "Earrings." When she opened the box, it was filled with dozens of pairs of earrings. Both Hermione and Lavender gasped at the sight of all the beautiful pieces of jewelry.

"Parvati, this stuff must be worth a fortune," Lavender said in amazement.

"No, none of it's real. It's magical costume jewelry, a gift from my grandma in India. It looks real, but it disappears after six hours. I've already used up most of the gold and pearl earrings, so we'll go with diamonds for Hermione," she said, as she removed a set of diamond and silver earrings from the box.

"Uh, Parvati. I don't have pierced ears," Hermione informed her.

"Well, then this is going to hurt just a bit," Parvati said with a smile.

"OOOUUUCH!" Hermione shouted from the sharp pain in her right earlobe. "Merlin, am I bleeding?" Hermione asked, putting a hand over her ear.

"Of course not," Parvati told her. "These are self-piercing earrings. Guaranteed not to cause any bleeding or swelling. Unfortunately, the holes heal up right after you take them off." Hermione grimaced a little, as Parvati put the other earring on. "Now a necklace to match," Parvati said, as she closed the lid of the box, then tapped it with her wand again. When she reopened the box, it was now fill with different kinds of necklaces. After searching through most of them, she finally decided on a diamond and silver necklace with four large, twenty-carrot diamonds. After putting the necklace around her neck, Parvati looked at her and said, "I still think we need something else."

"I know," Lavender said, then leaned over and whispered something in Parvati's ear.

"Great idea, Lav," Parvati said. She then picked up the jewelry box, tapped it with her wand, and whispered something. She opened it so that only she and Lavender could see inside.

"What are you two up to?" Hermione asked, trying to peek over Parvati's shoulder to see.

"That one," Lavender said, pointing at something in the box.

"Good choice," Parvati said, as she reached into the box for something. "Hermione, close your eyes. I want this to be a surprise." Reluctantly, Hermione closed her eyes. She felt something being placed on her head, slipping into her hair. "You can open your eyes now, Hermione," Parvati told her.

Hermione opened them to see both of her friends staring dreamily at her. "What?" she asked.

"You look so beautiful, Hermione," Lavender stated, as a tear ran down her cheek. Parvati held up a large mirror for Hermione to see.

"A tiara?" Hermione asked, as she looked at the diamond-encrusted piece of jewelry on her head.

"Why not? It makes you look just like a real princess," Lavender answered.

"But I'm not a bloody princess," Hermione said, as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. "Isn't this a bit much for Snape?" she asked.

"Face it, Hermione. The wedding is probably going to be the only good part of marrying Snape," Parvati told her. "This is for you not him, anyway. I borrowed Colin's camera so that I can take some pictures for your mom." Hermione looked at herself in the mirror again. She had to admit, she really liked what she saw.

"Oh, can we take some pictures right now?" Lavender excitedly asked. "I'd like a picture of the three of us together."

"Sure, but we have to hurry. It's almost eleven forty-five," Parvati told her.

After nearly a dozen pictures were taken, Hermione and Parvati finally made their way down to the common room. It was empty, with the exception of their Head of House standing impatiently by the portal. "It's eleven fifty, Miss Granger," McGonagall sternly told her. Her expression softened somewhat, as she took a close look at Hermione. "You look quite lovely, my dear," she sincerely said. Hermione thought there was a slight glistening to her Professor's eyes. The three of them quickly made their way through the school to the main entrance. Before going outside, Professor McGonagall stopped them and said, "Take off your shoes."

"Why?" they both asked in unison.

"The Headmaster has chosen an older Wizarding marriage ceremony. Everyone must remain barefoot until after the ceremony is completed. Nothing must come between your feet and the earth," McGonagall informed them. Hermione and Parvati took off there shoes. Hermione placed her shoes by the two large doors, next to McGonagall's boots. She also set down her over-night bag containing her nightgown and tomorrow's school uniform. Parvati put her shoes under her arm. "Miss Patil, you can leave those here," McGonagall order.

"But they're Parisian, from this fall's line. They won't even be in stores until spring," Parvati told her Professor.

"They will be perfectly safe here, Miss Patil. You can pick them up when you return to Gryffindor," she told Parvati. Reluctantly, she set them down, hiding them behind McGonagall's boots.

The cobblestones were cool but dry under Hermione's feet, as they made their way down the path towards the lake. Next to the lake, Hermione could see two rows of small torches on three-foot high poles, leading up to a small fire. Standing next to the fire, in bright orange robes, was the Headmaster. Just to his left was Snape, in his normal all-black attire. "Ah, Miss Granger, you are a vision of beauty and loveliness," Dumbledore said with a warm smile. "Do we have Miss Patil to thank for your lovely attire?" he asked, giving Parvati an approving look over his glasses.

"The dress and jewelry are mine, but Lavender did her hair," Parvati proudly told him.

"Miss Brown, you say?" Dumbledore asked, as he looked at Hermione.

"Sorry, Professor. She sleeps in our dorm. I had to tell her," Hermione apologetically told him.

"Quite understandable, Hermione. I guess I really didn't think it through when I told you to tell only one of your roommates," Dumbledore said in a reassuring voice. "Miss Patil and Miss Brown did an excellent job. I only wish Severus had had such help," the Headmaster said, giving Snape a disappointed look.

"I'll have you know these are my finest dress robes," Snape informed the Headmaster. Hermione looked at him. The only thing she could tell that was different was that his buttons were silver instead of black. When Hermione looked down at the bottom of his robes, she caught sight of something incredible - Snape's naked feet. They were huge. Hermione couldn't imagine how he ever stuffed those canoes into his boots. They were both long and wide. Each of the long toes had a small bit of thin, black hair on the knuckles. She wouldn't be surprised if he could pick up a quill and start writing with one foot, while swinging from a tree with the other.

"I see the last of our guests have finally arrived," the Headmaster said. Hermione turned to see who was approaching. Hagrid was coming toward them. He had Fang's leash in his left hand and was holding Luna Lovegood's hand in the other. Luna was still wearing her pajamas with just her school robes over them. She still looked half asleep.

"Why is she here?" Snape asked, giving Luna a doubtful look.

"I invited her," Dumbledore answered. "It's bad luck not to have at least one member of the bride or groom's family present at the time of the ceremony."

"Headmaster, I have yet to speak to Miss Lovegood about our family connection," Snape said with irritation.

"I already know," Luna said through a yawn. "Mum use to talk about you all the time."

"What did she tell you?" Snape asked.

"She said you inherited your father's stick. She said that all the Healers in St Mungo's probably couldn't pull it out," Luna sleepily said. Snape just glared at her, while both Hagrid and McGonagall let out small chuckles. Hermione and Parvati knew better than to laugh.

Hermione noticed that Luna was holding something in her right hand. She first thought it was a doll, but under closer inspection it turned out to be a plucked chicken Luna was holding by the feet. "Luna, why are you holding a dead chicken in your hand?" Hermione asked.

"For luck. And it's not dead," Luna answered them, raising the chicken up above her head. It began to squawk and beat its featherless wings. It didn't stop until she lowered it. Hermione just turned away and looked up at Dumbledore. He, too, had a mystified look on his face.

"Now that everyone's here, shall we begin?" Dumbledore said, as he walked around to stand in front of the small fire. Hermione noticed a small cauldron sitting on top of the fire. Some kind of purple liquid was bubbling inside. Hermione had to admit she didn't know that much about old Wizarding marriage ceremonies.

Snape reached into his robes and withdrew a small black box. He opened the box, taking out a small black circle. He then held out the box to her. "The ring," he flatly told her. Hermione reached inside and took out another black circle similar to the one Snape had just removed, only bigger.

"This is a ring?" Hermione asked, looking suspiciously at the black circle in her hand.

"Yes," Snape dryly answered. "It and this one were both cut from a single large black opal. Silver, gold, and most gems, can sometimes effect potion brewing. Black opals have no effect."

"You're giving me a solid black wedding ring?" Hermione disappointedly asked. Snape didn't answer; he just raised an eyebrow at her.

"Will everyone take their places?" Dumbledore asked. Hermione faced the fire with Snape to her right. Hagrid and Luna stood just behind and to the right of Snape. Professor McGonagall and Parvati were just behind and to the left of her. With a wave of his hand, a small dagger and two goblets, one silver, one gold, appeared in front of the Headmaster. Hermione didn't like to looks of the dagger. It looked as sharp as a scalpel. The three items hovered in midair over the small cauldron.

Dumbledore raised both hands high and shouted, "_Incantatem_ _Colligo._ Let the binding began." There was a sudden clap of thunder; Hermione felt a very strange feeling in her feet, as if the ground had taken on a huge static charge to it. Dumbledore took hold of the gold goblet. He reached down, dipping it in the cauldron and filling it halfway. He placed the goblet back in the air next to the dagger. He then took the silver goblet and filled it halfway with the purple liquid. After replacing the silver goblet, he took hold of the dagger. "Give me your right hand, Hermione," he asked. After swallowing hard, Hermione slowly held out her trembling hand to the Headmaster. He took hold of her wrist and asked, "Do you, Hermione Jane Granger, daughter of Thomas and Janet Granger, give this blood for binding to Severus Titus Snape?"

"I do," Hermione nervously answered. The Headmaster took the dagger and drew the blade across her palm. Hermione let out a slight hiss as a two-inch long slice in her palm opened up. There wasn't much pain, but the sight of her own blood made her queasy. The Headmaster took the golden goblet and held it under her palm to catch the blood. 'Oh my god, I'm going to be drinking blood,' Hermione thought to herself.

Dumbledore released her wrist and closed her hand with his. He then replaced the goblet in the air over the cauldron. Next, he held out his hand to Snape. Snape gave him his hand without hesitation. "Do you, Severus Titus Snape, son of Maximilian and Natasha Snape, give this blood for binding to Hermione Jane Granger?"

"I do," Snape coolly said. Dumbledore cut his hand with the dagger and put the silver goblet under it to catch Snape's blood. Dumbledore then handed Snape the silver Goblet. Snape took it with his uncut hand. The Headmaster then handed Hermione the gold goblet. She took it in her left hand. Dumbledore took hold of their still bleeding right hands. He brought them together, palm-to-palm. Their wounds were touching, mixing their blood.

The Headmaster raised his hands again and said, "_Colligo_ _Finito_, drink from your chosen's goblet. Let the magic inside bind you together as one." Snape brought his silver goblet to her lips. She lifted hers to his lips. As one, they drank from the goblets. Hermione couldn't believe she was drinking Snape's blood and some unknown purple goo. It tasted both salty and sweet. She could feel the thick liquid making its way slowly down her throat. Hermione felt her right hand become very warm in Snape's grasp. As soon as she finished all that was in the goblet, Snape lowered it from her lips. She lowered hers as well. Dumbledore wrapped both his hands around theirs, blood still dripping from their palms. "By the great magic of all who have stood on this earth and by the magic of those who have yet to come. I bind this man and this woman as one. I bind this wizard to this witch in the name of all magic, light and dark. I bind them together with blood, with magic, and with love. By Merlin and his twelve, let their magic grow and grow strong." Another loud thunderclap rocked the sky, as Dumbledore released their hands. Snape let go and looked at his palm. Hermione also looked at hers. The two cuts were gone. No trace of the wounds or blood remained. The Headmaster reached out and took the empty goblets from them. "Exchange your symbols of loyalty," Dumbledore told them. Snape took her hand in his and placed the black ring on her finger. She did the same with his.

Dumbledore smiled at the two and said, "By the power granted to me as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, I now pronounce you wizard and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Snape took a step towards her. Hermione suddenly felt like fleeing into the forest and never looking back. Snape had an uncomfortable look, as well. He quickly leaned forward, tilting his head to his right. Hermione tilted to hers left. Their foreheads collided with a hard knock. "OOWW!" Hermione cried, as she reached up and rubbed her sore forehead. After shaking off his own cobwebs, Snape leaned in again, this time to the left. Unfortunately, Hermione leaned right. They didn't hit as hard this time, just mushing their noses together. Snape took step back and rubbed his long crooked nose. Looking very irritated, he reached out and placed both of his hands on the side of Hermione's head. He forced her to her left while he went to his left. Their lips finally met. Before Hermione could figure out if she was suppose to use tongue or not, he broke the kiss. She looked up into his gleaming black eyes. They seemed somewhat different to her now, deeper maybe.

"I knew yeh had it in yeh, m'boy," Hagrid bellowed, then slapped Snape right between the shoulder blades, almost knocking him over. Hermione turned to look at the others. McGonagall had tears running down her cheeks but still held her poise. Parvati was crying as she aimed the camera at her and took pictures. The camera just made a clicking sound without a flash. Hermione hoped the pictures came out. Her mother would kill her if they didn't. Luna was just standing their, still looking very sleepy. Her chicken remained quiet.

"Come, Miss Grang… I mean, Hermione," Snape said, as he held out his arm to her. Hermione wrapped her arm around his. He led her down the line of torches towards the castle. Just after they passed the last torch, Hermione heard a loud "SQUISH". Snape stopped and looked down, as he lifted his right foot.

"Sorry abou' that, Professor. Fang's had a bad case o' the trots, lately," Hagrid apologetically yelled from behind them. They continue on toward the castle, Snape rubbing and dragging his right foot across the ground, every other step.

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After collecting her over-night bag and shoes from the school's main entrance, Snape led her down into the dungeons. They went past the Potions classroom then took a left down a long corridor. At the end of this corridor was a black door with the Slytherin coat of arms on it. Snape took out his wand and pointed it at the door. He made two quick swishes with his wand but said nothing. The door made a loud click as the lock disengaged. Snape opened it and stood aside to let her through. Hermione was so nervous, she almost asked if he was supposed to carry her across the threshold. Gathering up as much of her Gryffindor courage as she could, Hermione moved forward, entering Snape's private chambers.

It wasn't what she expected. The room she had entered was large with a high beam ceiling above it, similar to her own common room. She knew it had to be magical. All the rooms in the dungeons had low stone ceilings. To her amazement, this room also had a large window in the far wall. A set of glass doors was just to its right. Hermione walked up to the large window and looked out. The view was of the lake and forest. She knew this had to be a magical window. They were actually under part of the lake by at least thirty feet. If this window was real, she should be able to see the giant squid swim by. She could see a small terrace just outside the window.

"This magical window is amazing. I'd swear we were in the East Tower," she told Snape, as she continued to stare out the window at the night sky.

"There is nothing magical about that window, Miss Granger. We _are_ in the East Tower," he informed her. Hermione gave him a puzzled look. Snape pointed back at the door. "The door we entered is magical, not the windows." She looked at the door they had just entered. There were two. "The one on the left will take you directly to the dungeons, the other leads to the corridor in the East Tower," he explained. Now Hermione understood how the professors always seemed to move through the castle so quickly. They each had their own short cuts. "Only use the door on the right, Miss Granger. It would be very bad if you were to find yourself alone in the dungeons after classes," Snape warned her.

"Don't call me that. I'm not Miss Granger, any more," she told him. He just seemed to ignore her. She took a good look around the room she was standing in. The room was filled with bookshelves on three of the four walls. There was a large fireplace covered in cobwebs that looked like it hadn't been used since before she was born. There were two dark green, leather chairs sitting by the window and a large green couch in front of the fireplace. A huge black desk was on the opposite wall from the fireplace. It was covered with scrolls, quills, and pieces of parchment. The couch was covered with three large cauldrons and five small one it, leaving no room for anyone to sit. Both the chairs were filled with taped-up boxes. The only place to sit was at the desk. The floor was littered with the odd cauldron and empty jar.

"This place is a mess. Why haven't the house-elves cleaned this up?" Hermione asked with a look of disgust on her face.

"I don't allow those creatures inside my private chambers," Snape stated. "I have very sensitive things in here. I can't afford to have them going through everything."

"House-elves have been cleaning this castle since it was first built. I think they know how to clean a Potions master's room without blowing up the castle," Hermione said.

"I value my privacy, Miss… Hermione. I'm quite capable of cleaning my own chambers," he told her.

"You call this clean?" Hermione asked, looking around in revulsion.

"I've been very busy as of late. Your arrival is premature. I would have tended to it in time," he explained. Hermione noted that he didn't seem to be the least bit embarrassed by the room's appearance. "Come, I will show you the rest."

Snape led her through door just right of fireplace. "This is the private kitchen. I don't use it for preparing meals, just experiments and preparing ingredients," Snape told her. Hermione couldn't believe her eyes or her nose. The room was filled with dirty cauldrons, stacked to the roof. The counters were covered with old rotten potions ingredients. Jars of pickled animal parts were sitting open, covered with mold. Not wanting to add her dinner to the mess, Hermione turned and left the room.

They entered the room that was just left of the fireplace. It was the bedchamber. A large four-poster bed sat in the middle of the room. A large oak bureau with a mirror was covered in dirty clothes. All the drawers were open with underwear, shirts, and socks stuffed haphazardly in them. The odd dirty cauldron was sitting here and there, but not as bad as in the other rooms. The bed wasn't made. The sheets were all tangled together on top of the mattress with the pillows and bedspread lying on the floor in front on the bed. In the corner, just right of one the nightstands, was a dark moldy-looking thing. Hermione cautiously approached it. She took out her wand and gave the object a poke. "What is this?" Hermione asked with revulsion.

"I believe that's an old cloak of mine. I've been meaning to throw it out. It was ruined a few months back during a Quidditch match when it suddenly caught fire," Snape said, as he looked over her shoulder at the black blob on the floor.

"Caught fire at a Quidditch match?" Hermione said, as she turned to face him. "That happened over five years ago," she heatedly said.

"I seriously doubt it has been that long ago," Snape assured her.

"Yes it has. I should know. I set the bloody thing on fire, myself," she angrily told him.

"You set my cloak on fire?" Snape angrily spat back at her.

"I thought you were cursing Harry, at the time. I didn't know it was Quirrell," she answered. Snape continue to glare at her. Hermione glared right back at him, realizing that this room hadn't been cleaned in at least five years. And that she was supposed to live here, now. There were two doors left to explore. One was undoubtedly the bathroom, and the other had to a closet. Hermione reached for one of the door handles. Sucking in a breath first, to prepare her for what she might see, she yanked open the door. A black tidal wave of dirty robes, pants, and shirts engulfed her as they spilled out of the over-stuffed, large _walk-in closet_. Hermione was quickly sent to floor, buried under the pile of filthy clothes.

"I was in a hurry to retrieve my dress robes. I may not have put everything back in place," Snape said to her, as she dug her way out from under his soiled wardrobe. She just gave him a murderous stare. Unable to bring herself to speak to him without throwing a hex, Hermione decided to check the bathroom, instead.

She opened the door very carefully, standing off to one side. When nothing fell out of the doorway, she peeked her head inside to have a look. The horror was beyond her comprehension. The gray tile floor had mold in all the grout. The large claw-foot bathtub was half filled with black, smelly water. Six cauldrons were soaking in it. The white porcelain sink had rust and mold on it, both faucets continually dripping. The toilet was the most disgusting thing Hermione had ever laid eyes on. She knew if she puked into the toilet, it would help the smell. The professor apparently had a very bad aim late at night when he got out of bed to relieve himself. Hermione slowly backed her way out of the bathroom, careful not to touch anything.

"This is the most disgusting place I have ever seem!" Hermione loudly declared. "Mountain trolls live cleaner than this."

"It may be due for a once-over, I have to admit," Snape said, as he looked into the bathroom.

Hermione look up at him and said in a furious voice, "GET OUT!"

"What?" Snape asked, as he gave her a cold stare.

"Get out and don't come back for at least at least thirty minutes. If I have to sleep in this hellhole tonight, I'll need at lease that much time to make it livable," she angrily told him.

"Fine, I return in half an hour," Snape said, as he snatched an old green and white nightshirt off of the bedpost it was draped over. He slammed the door as he left.

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It took nearly an hour and all Hermione's knowledge of magic to make the bedroom livable. The bathroom was still a disaster, but at least now she could use the sink and toilet without fear of catching a deadly disease. The bed and its bedding took nearly two-dozen cleaning charms to clean properly. She shrank all of Snape's clothes, stuffing them into the loose cauldrons and packing it all in the closet. She didn't how it was possible that Snape, of all people, could live like this. His clothes were always neat and clean. He kept the Potions classroom and his office spotless. How was it possible that the same human being lived here?

Feeling that the room was as good as she could get, without the use of a flamethrower, Hermione changed into her nightgown, without knickers, packing her wedding dress away in her bag. She pulled back the bedspread and climbed on top of the large bed. Hermione remembered what her mother had told her. Take control right away and don't ever let it go. That would be easier said than done with a man like Snape. Hermione pointed her wand at the door to open it. She had placed a locking charm on it to keep him out until she was ready. Staring at the door, Hermione felt anything but ready. She kept picturing a wild beast of a man breaking through it to ravage her. She would keep her wand under the pillow just in case. She released the locking charm and nervously waited on the bed.

Thirty seconds later, Snape entered the room. He was wearing the nightshirt he had taken with him. He looked slightly agitated and uptight, to Hermione. As he approached the bed, Hermione held up her hand and said, "STOP!" He froze at the foot of the bed.

"What?" he asked, looking very impatient.

"I want to see it," Hermione boldly stated.

"See what?" Snape asked with a raised eyebrow.

"IT!" Hermione forcefully said. "I'm not letting you touch me unless I know what I'm getting into."

"We don't have time for these foolish games," Snape sharply told her.

"This is my first time, Professor. Nothing about this is a game to me," Hermione said with as much authority as she could muster.

"Very well. I'll indulge your perverted sense of curiosity if it will speed things along," Snape told her. He then reached down and grabbed the hem of his nightshirt. He lifted it above his waist. Hermione stare intently at the sight before her. The first thing she noticed was that Snape had very hairy legs. The object of her inquiry took her a bit by surprise. She had seen illustrations of the male organ in many of the books she had read. But the real thing seemed a lot different. To her, it looked like a large breakfast sausage that wasn't packed too well. It was covered in wrinkles, like it belonged on a ninety-year-old man. She had briefly felt Remus's only hours ago. His seemed a lot larger and a lot more solid. Hermione couldn't help but comment on it.

"It's not very big, is it?" she asked.

Snape immediately dropped the nightshirt back down. "I've never had any complaints," he said in a low, dangerous voice.

"It gets bigger, right?" she asked.

"Substantially so," Snape informed her.

"Well? Go ahead. Make it bigger," Hermione ordered.

"It's not as simple as that, Miss Granger," Snape told her. "Like most men, I require some from of stimulus."

"You mean like a dirty magazine?" Hermione asked.

"I do not look at dirty magazines. I prefer a woman's natural beauty," Snape informed her.

"Oh, I get it," Hermione said, giving him a wary look. "I guess I should get this over with. You'll see them soon enough." With that, Hermione reached down and took hold of her nightgown. With one quick movement, she raised it up to her shoulders exposing her bare breasts to him.

Snape seem to study her for a moment. He then smirked at her and said, "They're not very big, are they?" Hermione immediately dropped her nightgown. She knew her breasts were fine. He was only trying to get back at her for calling him small. "The show's over so soon?" he asked in a mocking voice.

"You're a pig," she told him. "Now hurry up and pump up that flabby snake so we can get this over with."

"I'm afraid it doesn't obey direct commands, Miss Granger. It requires a certain amount of coaching. Usually both visual and physical," he informed her.

"You mean, you have to toss off to get it up," Hermione clarified.

"I never, as you so eloquently put it, toss off," Snape said with an insulted look on his face.

"Isn't there some potion you can take to speed things along?" Hermione asked.

"There are over seven hundred known aphrodisiac potions. Unfortunately, they are not something we normally keep in the school stores," Snape sarcastically said.

"I guess you'll have to do it manually, won't you," Hermione told him.

Snape let out a sigh and said, "Regrettably, you are correct, Miss Granger." Hermione was still bothered by the fact he was calling her Miss Granger instead of Hermione. Snape continued to stand at the end of the bed, just staring at her.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Hermione impatiently asked.

"I can't do it while your staring at me," Snape told her. "Maybe you should go into the bathroom for a moment."

"I thought I was your visual stimulus. Are you saying you don't find me sexually appealing?" Hermione angrily asked, as she placed her hands on her hips. "You're not gay, are you?"

"No, I most certainly am not!" Snape crossly answered. "I just find it difficult to be aroused by one of my sixth-year students. It feels very unprofessional."

'Great! I can't even get laid by the guy I didn't even want to have sex with.' Hermione thought to herself. "Fine. If it'll hurry this up, I'll go to the bathroom," Hermione said, then hopped off the bed and went to the bathroom. She was only in there a minute when there was a knock at the door. She opened the door to find a frustrated looking Snape staring at her. "What now?"

"I still can't," he told her. "Knowing that you're just on the other side of that door knowing what I'm about to do. It's impossible."

"What about all those birthdays of yours? I bet you didn't have any trouble getting it up then," Hermione asked, feeling very perturbed. "Would it help if I asked for fifty quid up front?"

"Fifty?" Snape said in surprise. It took all of Hermione's self-control to keep from kneeing him in the groin at that point. "Those occasions were quite different, Miss Granger. I was already in the mood when I sought those women out. I didn't have it thrust upon me, where I supposed to perform at the drop of a hat."

"What do you want me to do? Leave the castle until you're in the mood?" Hermione sarcastically asked.

"Of course not," Snape answered. "I just need some time to get more comfortable with our situation."

"That might take forever," she impatiently told him. "What if I did it myself?"

"I'm not sure what you mean, Miss Granger?" Snape asked with a confused look on his face.

"Since you seem to have trouble getting started, I suggest you let me do it for you. I think most men would prefer that it was someone else's hand doing the work," Hermione explained. Snape raised both his eyebrows high on his forehead as he considered her proposal.

"If you're willing, Miss Granger, I have no objections," he told her.

"I'm willing, but not excited about it," Hermione said with an annoyed look on her face. She then walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. "Come here," she told Snape. He walked over and stood in front of her. "I'll just reach under your nightshirt. I don't want to see what I'm doing."

"You know, Miss Granger, there is a method that is preferred by most men," Snape enthusiastically said. "It could speed things up considerably."

"NOT IN YOUR OR MY LIFETIME!" she angrily stated.

"I didn't mean to upset you, Miss Granger. It was only a suggestion," Snape said with a touch of disappointment in his voice.

"I suggest you try hard not to upset me, Professor. Remember where my hand will be," she warned him. Trying not to think of what she was about to do, Hermione slowly reached under Snape's nightshirt and put her hand on his bare left leg. She gradually felt up his thigh until she reached his waist.

...Author's edit!

"Professor, I think it's ready," Hermione told him. He didn't answer; he just let out a soft moan. "PROFESSOR!" Hermione shouted. Snape snapped out of his blissful stupor at the sound of her voice. "I think it's ready," she repeated. Hermione released her grip on his tool and scooted back on the bed. Snape stared at her with a major tent in his nightshirt. She pulled her gown up past her buttocks and spread her legs slightly open for him. Hermione had never felt more exposed in her life. She was practically inviting Snape, the man she had despised four over five years, to come take her virginity.

Author's edit...!

Snape climbed on the bed. He positioned himself between her thighs. "Miss Granger, please hand me a pillow?" he asked.

"What for?" Hermione asked. She suddenly had a vision of Snape trying to smother her with it.

"To put under you. We need to get the angle right," he told her. Hermione handed him a pillow. She lifted up so he could place it under her hips. He then lifted both of her legs up a little and leaned forward. Hermione gasped as she felt the swollen head of his member touch her. "This may hurt a little," he told her.

Author's edit...!

Before she could say anything in return, he pulled back, then thrust forward with all his might. Hermione screamed at the top of her lungs aspain filled her abdomen.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH," she shouted at him, "you could have warned me."

"I guarantee you, Miss Granger, it would only have been worse if you knew what was coming," Snape said, as he tried to catch his breath.

Author's edit...!

"You're a pig. All men are pigs. I bet your first time didn't hurt like this," Hermione angrily stated. Snape didn't comment. Hermione was still in pain, but eventually she got use to it. Through the pain, Hermione began to feel a touch of pleasure. Hermione was beginning to feel the energy build in her once more. She took her legs and wrapped them around his waist as Snape continued his smooth movments. Hermione cried out with both pleasure and pain. A huge burst of sexual energy suddenly flowedthrough her body. She screamed as her climax overtook her.

Snape sudden went rigid. He convulsed, then let out a loud shout of relief, "AAAWWWW!"

Author's edit...!

"EEEEEWWWWW! What did you do?" Hermione asked Snape with a look a disgust on her face.

"You know perfectly well what I just did, Miss Granger," Snape said, as he wiped his sweat from his forehead and tried to catch his breath. Suddenly, the nightstand to their right began to shake. The drawer popped open and a large piece of parchment shot out. Hermione recognized it as Snape's copy of their marriage contract. It rolled itself up and, with a loud pop, disappeared into thin air.

"What was that about?" Hermione asked, as she looked up at Snape.

"I believe, Miss Granger, that we have just officially completed the terms of the Ministry's contract," Snape said, as he looked down at her with a smile on his face.

Hermione looked deep into her new husband's big black eyes and said, "GET OFF ME, YOU TWIT!" She pushed him sideways with all her strength. His naked body fell over the side of the bed and hit the floor with a loud thud.

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Next chapter coming soon.

Where you saw the words "Author's edit." Those are point where the story had to be edited for content.

Well, Severus and Hermione are finally hitched. You may have noticed that I didn't go with the standard wedding night scene, where everything goes perfectly and they end up spooning in bed together. Instead, I tried to picture how sex between a thirty-six year old man and a sixteen-year-old girl, who both hate each other and have very little, if any, experience in the bedroom, might go. Don't any of you worry, though. They will both get a lot better at it.

I'm dying to know what everyone thinks, so please review.


	18. The morning after

Author's Notes:

Thanks to everyone one who read and reviewed my last chapter. You made it the most popular yet. I really worked hard on that one. I want to thank some Authors that have really inspired me with this story. Ramos, WendyNat, RachelW, JuneW, QueneArual, EllieK and LariLee.

Beta'd by Nakhash Makashefah. My most important source of inspiration.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 18. The Morning After.

A loud noise startled Severus out of his sleep at a quarter to four in the morning. He looked around in confusion, not knowing where he was. Then Severus remembered; he was sleeping on the couch in his private quarters. He refused to sleep with that moody little snot that currently occupied his bedchamber. She had the nerve to shove him out of his own bed, after he saved her from what would have been a very short and painful life as Lucius' bride.

He heard the noise again. It sounded like part of the castle's foundation was crumbling. Severus jumped to his feet. He picked his wand up off the desk and listened. He heard it again. A cold shiver ran down his spine as he recognized the sound for what it was. 'Merlin, no,' Severus said to himself. A horrible sense of dread filled his body as he ran to the door of his bedchamber. He pushed through the door, hoping his worst fears wouldn't be realized. The awful ghastly truth lay in the bed before him. There, his new wife, just a slip of a girl that couldn't weigh much more than seven stone, lay flat on her back with her face covered by her unruly hair. A snore that could only come from a diseased mountain troll erupted from her small lips. The panes in the windows vibrated every time she inhaled. "I'm cursed," he said as he approached the bed.

Gently as he could, Severus took the tip of his wand and placed it under her chin. With just a very light push, he closed her mouth. As soon as he removed his wand, her mouth fell open, filling the room once again with the atrocious noise. Severus quickly contemplated his options. He could use the _Avada Kedavra _killing curse on her. Daylight wasn't for another couple of hours. He could sneak the body out of the castle and dump it in the lake. No, the lake wouldn't do; the merpeople could discover it. He could bury it in the Forest and tell everyone she was just 'gone' when he awoke. That wouldn't work either; the Headmaster was better at Legilimency than even himself. He would see through any lie before too long.

After considering many options, Severus decided the simplest solution was the best. He reached across her and took hold of Hermione's left arm. He used it to pull her over until she lay on her stomach. The girl grumbled loudly and let out a swear word in her sleep as she got comfortable again. Severus felt a sense of relief that the horrible snore didn't return. He stared at the teenager in his bed. He could still remember the first-year's over eagerness to answer his questions on her first day in his class. Five years had gone by, and she was still that eager little bundle of energy that wanted him, and everyone else, to know how much she had learned. Even at sixteen, she was more child than adult. 'How can this be my wife?' Severus thought to himself. This fuzzyheaded Gryffindor know-it-all would be the mother of his child. Severus thought of his own mother. He remembered how kind and gentle a woman she was. She hadn't deserved the unfeeling cruelty his father had continuously inflicted on her. Nine years of marriage to that hateful bastard, just to die at his careless hands. He cursed his father's name. Severus would strive to be a proper father. He would know his son, the way his own father never cared to know him. That is if he survived to see the boy grow up. Keeping himself and his new bride alive for the next year will be quite a challenge. Lucius Malfoy was a very sore loser.

He reached out and carefully brushed the hair away from her face. Her face looked quite lovely and peaceful in her sleep. Severus knew it wouldn't last. She'd be scowling at him again in a matter of hours. Her pride was as large as Hogwarts itself. He knew she planned to fight him over every last detail of their marriage. Luckily for him, he was a Slytherin. He'd let her win some of the smaller battles, but he planned to take the major ones. He would use both her strengths and weakness against her. With any luck, he might survive this coming year.

Hermione growled in her sleep, then rolled over onto her back again. The hateful snore started almost immediately. Severus shook his head in repulsion and moved towards the exit. He placed a silencing charm on the room before closing the door.

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"Get up, Miss Granger. It's six thirty in the morning," a pitiless voice shouted. Hermione slowly opened her eyes. The sunlight coming through the window was brutally harsh. She'd never appreciated the fact that her dormitory window faced west, until now. She threw the bedclothes off and sat on the side of the bed. Standing in the doorway, fully dressed, was her sneeringly unpleasant husband. 'My husband.' The thought almost made her crawl back under the bedclothes.

"What are you staring at?" Hermione spitefully asked, as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Your head," he coldly answered. "Your hair, to be more precise. It seems to have taken on a life of its own."

Hermione just ignored him. She got up and went to the bathroom. She stretched and groaned as she stood in front of the mirror. Her body ached all over. She was still sore from last night's activities. What she needed now was a nice long bath. Hermione turned to look at the tub. It was still filled with black dirty water and three large cauldrons. Unable to look at it anymore, she turned back to the mirror. "Happy Birthday, Hermione," she joylessly told herself. She had to pee but couldn't bring herself to use the toilet. It was fairly clean now, but the memory of how it looked last night was still fresh in her mind.

She came out of the bathroom and picked up her overnight bag. Reaching inside, she took out her school robes. "I'm going down to the Prefects' bathroom for a bath," she told Snape, who was still standing in the doorway. "How do you expect anyone to use the bath if you have cauldrons rusting in it?"

"I prefer showers," he bluntly told her.

"You can't even take a shower in there," Hermione irritably stated.

"I have a private shower in my lab. I have better uses for this bath."

"Soaking cauldrons? Why couldn't you do that in your lab?" she angrily asked.

"My lab space is limited. I've had to improvise on occasion," he answered.

"There has to be over fifty cauldron in this place. Why so many? Isn't there enough cauldrons in the Potions lab and classroom for you to use?"

"Those are the school's cauldrons. These, here in my chambers, are my own. There should be sixty-three at present. I require a large variety of them for my research. You'll find that no two are alike," he told her.

"If they're your own, why don't you treat them better? Some of them look like they haven't been cleaned in years."

"I'm an extremely busy individual. My schedule doesn't allow for me to be as anal retentive as yourself," Snape callously told her.

"This place is a disaster," Hermione angrily shouted. "You can't tell me that you haven't had the time to clean this place once in the last five years. Face it, Snape, you're a bloody slob."

Snape narrowed his eyes at her and said with venom, "How I choose to keep my chambers is none of your concern, Miss Granger."

"Don't call me Miss Granger. I stopped being a Miss several hours ago."

"You don't except me to call you Mrs. Snape?"

"No, I'm keeping my last name. You should call me by my given name, Hermione," she told him.

"I will not be calling you by your first name in my class. I'm still your Professor and you are still my student."

"You can call me Hermione when we are here. But just call me Granger when we're in class. Mrs. Granger is my mother's name. I will call you Professor when we are in class, otherwise, I will just call you Severus," she suggested.

"You will not use my given name in front of any students. Outside of these walls, I'm strictly Professor Snape to you," he forcefully told her.

"I'm not calling my husband 'Professor' anywhere other than a Potions classroom. If you don't want me to use your name in front of my friends, I could always come up with something more colorful instead. Honey-Bum, Sweet-pie, or maybe what you suggested to my father: DADDY!"

"You insolent little shit. How dare you speak to me this way," Snape furiously yelled as he approached her. Hermione dropped her overnight bag and stood chest to chest with him.

"I'll speak to you any bloody way I see fit. Remember, I'm your wife now. With the exception of when I'm in your class, you have no authority over me whatsoever. You can't take a single point away from me outside of your classroom," she heatedly said with a slight smile on her lips.

Severus glared down at her with his black eyes and said in a low, dangerous hiss, "You will learn your place, Gryffindor."

"It will always be above you, Slytherin," Hermione hissed right back at him. She picked up her bag and moved around him. "I'm going to have the house-elves clean this filthy pit up," she said, leaving the bedchamber.

"I will not have those creatures in my private chambers," Snape vehemently said as he followed her out of the room.

"This is _our _chambers now," Hermione forcefully said as she turned to face him. "I'm married now. That means I can no longer stay in the Gryffindor dormitory. Since I have no choice but to stay here, I will do what I must to make this place livable. Especially since you seen incapable of doing it yourself. This place will have to be scrubbed from top to bottom. I won't have Crookshanks catching something."

"What is a Crookshanks?" Snape asked with an annoyed look on his face.

"He's my cat," she answered.

"You're not bringing some flea-bitten animal in here to devour all of my loose potion ingredients. You will send the cat home to your parents," he demanded.

"I will not be sending my cat anywhere," she flatly told him. "I have just as much right to these chambers as you. As a matter of fact, your days of using this place as your personal storage and garbage dump are over. You will keep anything to do with potions in your lab. Is that clear?"

" Don't assume that your new status give you any liberties with me. I will continue to use these chambers as I see fit, Granger," he smugly told her.

"And I will take great pleasure in throwing everything of yours out the window, into the lake," she warned him.

"You wouldn't dare," he said, giving her a treacherous scowl.

"I'm sure the merpeople could find some use for all those cauldrons, but I can't picture them wearing all that black clothing. Maybe they'll make rugs out of them," she suggested.

"I should have let Malfoy take you. It would have been a fitting punishment for his crimes," Severus callously said.

Hermione turned and headed for the door. "If there's anything in these chambers that you don't want washed, scrubbed, disinfected, polished or thrown away, you had better remove it now. When I come back, I'm bringing the house-elves with me," she said, while entering the east tower's corridor. She quickly pulled the door shut so that he couldn't respond. Hermione heaved a sigh of relief as she made her way down the corridor. She had half expected him to go for his wand when she threatened to throw his stuff into the lake. The man was now her husband, but he still scared the hell out of her.

"Hermione, my dear," a voice called from behind her. She turned to see Professor McGonagall exiting what must be her chambers. Hermione felt a sense of relief knowing her Head of House was so close by.

"Good morning, Professor," she greeted.

"Hermione, please call me Minerva while we are in the staff's tower," McGonagall asked.

"That might take some getting use to," Hermione told her.

"Don't worry, my dear. You'll fit in with the staff better than most first-year professors," McGonagall assured her. "If you have questions, don't be afraid to ask."

"I do have one question," Hermione said. "Pro… I mean, Minerva. Have you ever been inside Professor Snape's private chambers?"

A frown instantly appeared on McGonagall's face. "Please tell me it's not in the same condition that I saw two years ago?" she asked with a sympathetic look.

"I can almost guarantee it isn't," she answered. "You need to add two more years of filth on top of whatever you saw."

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I honestly believed Severus would have the forethought to prepare for your arrival," McGonagall sorrowfully told her.

"Why is he like that?" she asked. "With the exception of his hair, Snape has always seemed to be very organized and clean."

"I believe it has something to do with his father. Max Snape insisted that Severus keep his room spotless, as a child. No matter how hard he tried, it was never clean enough for his father. Severus spent most of his young life trying to please the man. He never realized that not even full grown wizards could accomplish that," McGonagall said with regret in her voice. "I believe he keeps his rooms in that condition to reassure himself that he is not his father."

"It's not working. He seems to be just as big a bastard as his father was," Hermione told her Professor.

"Oh no, dear. I can assure you that Severus is nothing like his father," McGonagall seriously said to her. "Maximilian Snape was a contemptible, vile man. His heart was as black as his eyes. He cared for no one but himself. Not for Severus, not for poor Tasha, no one. He saw being a husband and father as unnecessary burdens to his life. If Tasha hadn't been the best potions assistant he had ever had, Max never would have married her after he got her pregnant. I sometime wish Natasha had gone back to Russia to raise her son. They would have been much better off."

"What was she like? Mrs. Snape, I mean," Hermione asked.

"She was a very smart and very kind witch. She was Head Girl at Durmstrang in fifty-five. Without her, I doubt Max would have ever considered helping the Order. She was so full of life when she first came to England. By the time of her death, she was just a frail, worn-down, meek shadow of her former self. Max may not have carried the Mark, but he was as dark and cruel as any Death Eater I ever met," McGonagall said with anger in his voice.

"I just hope Snape turns out to be better than his father," Hermione said.

"Oh, don't let his rough exterior fool you, my dear. You know what they say: 'The harder the outside, the softer the core'. I can assure you, the day Severus becomes a father that hard crust of his will break into a thousand pieces."

"How can you be so sure?" Hermione asked.

"Because he has his mother's heart. And the happiest day of Natasha's life was when she became a mother," McGonagall answered. That did make Hermione feel somewhat better.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

After taking a nice long bath and changing into her school uniform, Hermione headed back to the east tower. Before going back into Snape's chambers, she stopped and called out, "DOBBY." Two seconds later, the house-elf appeared in front of her with a loud crack.

"How can Dobby be of assistance, Mistress Snape?" he asked with a smile.

"Don't call me that, Dobby. I'm not using the name Snape. And I'm not anyone's Mistress," she informed the elf.

"But what is Dobby to call you but, Mistress? You is married now," he asked with a puzzled look on his small face.

"Just call me Hermione, Dobby," she suggested.

"NO, no, no, Dobby can never call Mistress by her name alone. It will bring much shame to my Mistress," the elf told her in a pleading voice.

Hermione thought for a minute and said, "How about you call me Mistress Hermione. Will that be ok?"

"How can Dobby be of assistance, Mistress Hermione?" he asked with a big smile on his face.

"Dobby, I have to live in Professor Snape's private chambers now. The problem is he hasn't cleaned them in at least five years, maybe not ever. I can't lie to you, Dobby; it's truly a pigsty in there. There's more filth than inside a backed-up sewer pipe. If you could find as many elves as you can, that aren't doing anything at the moment, I would really appreciate it. You can tell every elf that wants to help me that I will pay them a fair day's wage."

"Mistress Hermione, elves no need your money to clean castle. It is what we are here to do," he informed her.

"Still, anyone who wants to help must accept my money for their work," she told the elf.

"No clothes?" Dobby asked, tilting his head and giving her a suspicious look.

"No, Dobby. No clothes," she answered. "But they can take my money and buy clothes of their own, if they wish."

"Dobby will go find help," he said, then bowed and disappeared with a crack.

Hermione entered the room to see Snape jamming parchments into his desk drawers. "That doesn't go there," she informed him.

"What?" he angrily asked, turning towards her. Hermione swallowed hard, trying to keep her courage up.

"All those parchments. They have to be moved; I will need that desk for my schoolwork," she informed him.

"This is my personal desk. I bought it from an old wizard estate when I received these chambers. If you need a desk, I suggest you go find your own," he bluntly told her.

"There isn't enough room in here for another large desk. You already have a desk in your office and one in your classroom, which is where all this belongs," she said, looking at the stacks of scrolls still on the desktop. "Besides, I like this desk. I will consider it a birthday present from you. Unless you have already gotten me something else?" she asked knowing he hadn't.

"I don't have time for this," Snape irately said as he headed for the door. "I need to go to the owlery and Obliviate Fitage's memories."

"You put Mr. Fitage in the owlery? Don't you know owls eat guinea pigs?" she asked with a shocked look on her face.

"I charmed his cage so that no owl could break through it, no matter how determined. I was counting on the owls to keep an eye on Mr. Fitage through the night. I didn't want him wandering off. Now, if Fitage was fool enough to try and escape his cage, well that's just Merlin's will, isn't it," Snape smugly said.

"How will we explain him being here almost a full day?" she asked.

"We will give him a nice bump on the head and stick him in a bed in the hospital wing. He will be told that he tripped on the stairs when he first arrived," Snape told her. Snape opened the door and stepped out into the east tower corridor. He immediately came back inside, slamming the door shut and giving her a murderous glare. He went over to the door that led to the dungeons and yanked it open. He turned to her and said, "Your first class of the day is Potions, Granger. If you're so much as a second late, I will remove every point Gryffindor has received this year." Hermione wondered what suddenly infuriated him so much.

"Oh, and one more thing, Miss Granger," he spitefully said. "You snore."

"I DO NOT!" she angrily yelled, putting her hands on her hips.

"Yes, you do. And it's not some little child-like kitten snore. You sound like a Horntail Dragon with a cold."

"That's a lie," she said, feeling insulted. "You're just making it up because I'm taking your desk."

"There's a Pensieve in my office. I will gladly share the memory of your unnatural sleeping habits with you," Snape told her. He quickly left, shutting the door behind him, not giving her a change to respond this time.

"You Wanker!" she shouted at the door, even though she knew he couldn't hear her. Hermione went to the east tower door and opened it. She saw what had bothered Snape so much. Dobby and at least fifty other house-elves were waiting in the hall. 'Do I have that much money?' Hermione thought to herself.

"Dobby find Mistress Hermione help," the happy elf told her with a smile.

"Dobby, why so many?" Hermione asked the elf in a whisper.

"Most elves at Hogwarts have never seen a real pigsty," he answered.

"Is it true, Mistress?" an older elf gleefully asked. "Is there really a sty inside Hogwarts?"

"I'd say that pigsty is too nice a word," she told the older elf. All fifty elves began to jump up and down with excitement. Hermione knelt down next to Dobby and said, "Dobby, I don't know if I have enough money to pay everyone."

"Everyone will work for free, Mistress Hermione," he told her.

"I won't have elves cleaning for me for free, Dobby. Maybe I can pay ten of them to help me," she told him.

"Please, Mistress Hermione, don't make Dobby choose only ten," the elf pleaded. Hermione looked at the fifty sets of large anxious eyes staring at her. They looked like orphans who'd just found out that Santa left them a present on Christmas morning. She couldn't tell them that Santa only left ten gifts. But she needed to hold onto her principles. If the founder of S.P.E.W took advantage of elves, there really was no hope for their freedom.

Hermione stood up and said, "Listen everyone. I will give twenty-five Galleons to all the elves that help clean these chambers today. You may split it any way you want." She could tell by the looks on their faces that they couldn't care less if she paid them. "I know that half a Galleon isn't really a fair day's wage, so each one of you will get to keep one filthy item to clean at your leisure. You can have anything with the exception of clothes, cauldrons, and personal effects." The elves began to jump up and down with even more excitement. Hermione opened the chamber door and let the elves inside. Each elf looked around in joyful amazement as they all slowly entered the room. Hermione heard gleeful cries as some elves looked into the kitchen. She suddenly felt like Willy Wonka letting children into his candy factory for the first time.

"Dobby, will you supervise things while I go to class?" she asked the elf.

"Don't worry, Mistress Hermione. Dobby will make sure everything is cleaned," he answered proudly.

"Dobby, please take all of Professor Snape's cauldrons and find a place in the dungeons for them. Take everything out of the desk and put it into his office. When you're done, could you please have someone bring my things over from Gryffindor Tower?"

"Won't Master Snape be angry with Dobby if we remove his things?" the elf nervously asked.

"Listen, Dobby," Hermione said forcefully as she looked at the elf. "There is no Master Snape in these chambers. There is only Mistress Hermione. I will have to live here for the next two years. There's a very good chance I will have a baby in here with me by this coming summer. As you can see, Professor Snape can't take care of himself. So from now on, everything to do with these chambers will be up to me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Dobby understands. Dobby use to being Malfoy elf. Mistress Malfoy only one to decide what happens in Malfoy Manor. Master Malfoy always stay out of the way," he told her. Hermione didn't like to be compared to Narcissa, but if the shoe fit.

"Dobby, could you do one more thing for me?" she politely asked. "Could you do something about the colors in here? Black, green and silver are just too depressing for me."

"Leave everything to Dobby, Mistress Hermione. Dobby will make these chambers the best in Hogwarts," the elf said with pride. Hermione left the elves to their fun.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Hermione entered Gryffindor Tower a short time later. She needed to pick up her books before heading to breakfast. Hermione heard shouting on the other side of her dormitory door. She entered to see Ginny, Parvati and Lavender standing in the middle of the room. Both Ginny and Parvati looked upset.

"Hermione, is it true? Did you really have your wedding last night?" Ginny asked with an upset look on her face.

"Yes, Gin. I had to keep it a secret," she told the angry redhead.

"But I was supposed to be your maid of honor."

"I'm sorry, Ginny. Dumbledore would only let me tell one person. I needed to borrow a dress, so I had to tell Parvati," she explained.

"What about Lav? She knew," Ginny asked.

"She lives here. I couldn't keep it secret from her if I tried."

"But this means you're not going to have your wedding at my home," Ginny said with a sad look on her face.

"There's still Ron and Pansy's wedding. You'll still be her maid of honor," Hermione told her.

"That's not the same. I wanted to be maid of honor for my best friend. The only reason I'm doing it for Pansy is because no one wanted the job," she said with disappointment. "Why did you have to marry Snape last night, anyway?" Ginny asked.

"Fitage showed up yesterday. He was going to change my contract so that I had to marry Lucius Malfoy. We had to get married before the old contract was voided," she explained.

"This just sucks. Mum isn't going to let me buy a new dress if only Ron and Pansy are getting married," Ginny said in a pout.

"Don't worry about it, Ginny. I think your mum is going to go all-out for Pansy's wedding. My mum will want to help even more, now that she's missed mine," Hermione told her.

"Wait a minute, maybe I can still be your maid of honor. You could do your ceremony again. That way your parents can be there," Ginny suggested.

"I don't know, Ginny. It might be tough getting Snape to do it again," Hermione said.

"Have Dumbledore force him," Ginny said.

"I'll try. I would really like for my mother to see me get married," Hermione told her.

"Why would your mum go all out for Pansy's wedding?" Lavender asked Ginny. "I would be very upset if my son had to marry a slut like Parkinson."

"Pansy is not a slut," Ginny angrily said. "She was a virgin until…" Ginny didn't finish. Both Lavender and Parvati gave Ginny a confused look.

"We'll discuss what happened to Pansy at our first D.A meeting on Saturday. I'm going to bring a Pensieve so that everybody can see what we saw. They need to know just what we're up against," she told Ginny.

"What are we going to do about my shoes?" Parvati angrily interrupted.

"Who cares about your bloody shoes, Parvati? You have, like, thirty pairs in your trunk. I'm sure you won't miss one pair," Ginny told her.

"What happened to your shoes?" Hermione asked.

"That bloody thief Peeves stole them. He has been running around all morning with them on his fat ugly feet. I just know they're going to be all stretched out of shape when, or if, I ever get them back," Parvati dejectedly said.

"Have you asked Sir Nicholas for help?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, he said he would talk to the Bloody Baron about it. But he made no promises," Parvati gloomily told her.

"Enough about her bloody shoes; I want to know what happened last night," Lavender said. "What happened when you got back to Snape's chambers, to be more precise."

"Tell us, Hermione. What was old Snape like in the sheets?" Ginny anxiously asked.

"It was my first time, so I really don't have anything to compare it to," she told the three very curious girls. Normally Hermione wouldn't talk about something so private, but she had to talk to someone about it eventually. Ginny was her closest friend. She couldn't see herself talking to Harry and Ron about shagging Snape. She wished her mother was here.

"Well, tell us how big it was for starters," Parvati suddenly asked. "I bet with that long nose of his and those long fingers, it has to be a big one."

"It was my first live one, you know," Hermione said with embarrassment. "I don't really know what big is, but it sure felt huge."

Parvati put her hands in front of her and held her palms about six inches apart. "This is about normal. Would you say he's bigger or smaller?" she asked.

Hermione walked over to Parvati and pulled her palms apart another three and a half inches. "I'd say that's about right, and it was almost as thick as my wrist," Hermione told them.

"YOU LUCKY BITCH!" Parvati shouted at her as she and the other two started grinning from ear to ear.

"LUCKY! Are you crazy?" Hermione shouted back. "I was impaled on something the size of a Beater's bat. I've never been in that much pain in all my life."

"Ouch," both Ginny and Lavender said as they placed a hand in front of their crotches.

"Hermione, didn't you take a pain draught beforehand?" Parvati asked.

"No, I didn't think of it," she answered. "I also didn't know that diddling myself would have made my first time a lot easier."

"I thought everyone knew," Parvati said. "God made cucumbers for a reason, Hermione." Hermione knew right then and there that she would never eat a salad made by Parvati.

"So, did you have one?" Ginny asked with a slightly depraved look on her face.

"Did I have what?" Hermione asked her with a baffled look.

"You know, an orgasm," Ginny clarified.

"Oh, yeah. I almost had two, but the selfish bastard pulled away at the last moment," Hermione answered.

"Almost two?" Parvati said in surprise. "It took George, I mean Fred, three tries before he finally gave me one. I guess size really does matter."

"I'd let you have him if I could," Hermione told her.

"You can," Parvati informed her. "I still have half a bottle of Polyjuice Potion that Fred gave me over the summer. I could use one of your hairs and give old Snape a try. What do you say, Hermione? It's not like it's a real marriage away," she asked.

"Oh, can I have a ride on the pony, too?" Ginny eagerly asked.

"Me, too," Lavender said right behind her.

"I don't think so," Hermione told them. "I'm going to need all of Professor Snape's little swimmers for myself if I want to get pregnant before the end of the month,"

"Why do you want to get pregnant right away? Wouldn't it be better if you finished school first?" Ginny asked.

"If I get pregnant right away, I could have the baby just before summer holidays. That would mean I would only have been married for less than a year. The child would be almost two by the time I'm ready to become an apprentice. My mother has agreed to take care of it while I'm at school," Hermione said.

"Won't Snape help you care for the child?" Lavender asked.

"He's got father issues. I don't know if I can trust him to take care of a sewer rat let alone a baby," Hermione seriously told them. "That reminds me. I'm having a birthday party for myself tonight at seven in my new chambers. It's in the east tower, fifth floor. The door will be marked."

"Hermione, don't you think Snape will be upset if you throw a party in his chambers only a day after you two are married?" Parvati asked.

"That's precisely the point. He needs to understand now that those are my chambers, to" Hermione said with resolve. "I won't let the bastard get the upper hand. The slimy prat actually had the nerve to suggest that I snore." The three girls suddenly looked at each other nervously. "What? It's not true," Hermione desperately told them.

"It might be a little true," Lavender told her.

"It can't be. You guys would have told me, wouldn't you?" Hermione said in desperation.

"It never really came up," Parvati told her. "You've only been doing it since the middle of your fourth year. I think fixing your teeth had something to do with it."

"How bad is it?" she anxiously asked.

"Pretty bad," Ginny told her. "You kept waking up Buckbeak the summer we stayed at number twelve.

"It's never really bothered us, Hermione," Lavender told her. "We put an anti-snoring silencing charm on your bed, just after you started. I learned it from my mum. Dad has always had a loud snore. Not as loud as yours, though." Hermione just wanted to crawl up into a ball and disappear.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ten minute later, Hermione took her seat at the Gryffindor table for breakfast. She felt almost grateful that Snape was nowhere to be seen.

"So tell me, Hermione. Did you find anyone to help you with your problem?" Ron asked as he piled five flapjacks onto his plate. "I know Neville wasn't any help. I found him out cold on the floor of our dormitory." Hermione just gave Ron a fuming glare.

"What problem is he talking about, Hermione?" Harry asked. "Is it something I could have helped you with?" Ron shot orange juice through his nose after hearing Harry's question.

"No, Harry, It was something I was able to handle on my own," she told him.

"On your own?" Ron asked with a puzzled look on his face. " Does that mean you used something like a cucum…OWWW," Ron said in pain as Ginny rammed her elbow into his side.

"May I have everyone's attention, please," Dumbledore said as he rose from the High Table.

"Oh God, no," Hermione said to herself.

"I am pleased and happy to announce the marriage of Professor Severus Snape and Hermione Jane Granger, which took place last evening by the lake here at Hogwarts. If anyone wishes to send congratulatory remarks to the new couple, please address them to Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House. Let's all wish Mr. and Mrs. Snape our best. Thank you for your attention," Dumbledore said as he took his seat.

The Great Hall was utterly silent. It was morning, but Hermione could swear she heard the chirp of a lone cricket. She could feel the hard stares of a thousand eyes boring into her. Hermione put her face in her hands and prayed for death.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Next chapter coming soon.

Here's a quick question for my reviewers. The house-elves are going to completely redecorate Hermione and Snape's chambers. What is the one thing they could do that would drive Snape nuts?


	19. Stepping over the line

Author's Notes:

I want to thank all my loyal readers and reviewers. You are all wonderful and I couldn't do this without you.

Beta'd by Nakhash Makashefah. This Queen of the H.P-verse, ruling over all that she reads. Only the foolhardy dare challenge her. She has left many authors' widows in her wake.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 19. Stepping Over The Line.

Severus was just returning from his private lunch when he saw something strange as he made his way down the corridor leading to the dungeons. Light was coming from under the door to the room where Parkinson had been attacked. He drew his wand and stepped through the door. Severus was amazed at what he saw. The once empty room was now filled with storage shelves. The shelves were full of shiny clean cauldrons. He recognized them as his own. Severus removed a small three-quart Warrington cauldron from one of the shelves. It was one of the first he had gotten himself after he became Flamel's apprentice. It was as clean as the day he bought it.

Along with the cauldrons, several jars of potions ingredients were stacked on the shelves in the room. The room also contained three large filing cabinets. He placed the cauldron back on the shelf and headed for the cabinets. Inside the filing cabinets were all his personal research notes and documents from his chambers. They were both chronologically and alphabetically organized.

Severus just smiled to himself as he closed the cabinet. For years he had been meaning to do just this with his research and cauldrons, but never seemed to find the time. The stubborn little Gryffindor actually thought she'd won something by having his quarters cleaned for him. Her ignorance was almost laughable. Her false presumption that she knew more than he would only make her easier to manipulate. He wondered what else he could get her to do for him this week.

His good mood quickly disappeared as he turned to leave. There, still in the middle of the stone floor, was the bloodstain Parkinson had left behind. He knelt down and placed his hand on the stained stones of the floor. They were cold to the touch. He expected to feel something evil now in the stones, but there was nothing. He then realized how easy his new bride could end up this way. If he could manipulate her so effortlessly, so could others. He remembered how easily the Dark Lord had lured Potter, Weasley and his new wife away from the castle last summer. He would have to teach her some hard lessons very soon if she were to survive. This would only make her even more intolerable to live with.

Severus left the room and headed for the Potions classroom. He still had two more classes to teach today and had to find time to brew an anti-snoring potion. He was determined to sleep in his own bed tonight.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It had been a long, dreary birthday for Hermione. She had spent most of the day dodging question about her late night surprise nuptials to Snape. Thankfully, Harry and Ron seemed to be shocked into silence. She only had to explain why it had been necessary to marry Snape the previous evening. She didn't think they could take any further details about what she and Snape did after the ceremony.

Hermione had decided to keep her birthday party as small as possible. It would be a girls' only affair, just her, Parvati, Lavender, Luna and Ginny. She had been reluctant to invite Luna, but Ginny had insisted. The strange Ravenclaw bothered her. Hermione didn't like people or things she couldn't understand. But Hermione knew she had to try and make an effort with Luna now. She would be the closest thing to an aunt her child would have. If what Snape told her was true, Luna might be the intellectual companion she had always been looking for. Ginny might be her best friend, but they weren't about to sit down and have long discussion on how ancient ruins affect modern magic.

As soon as Hermione entered the corridor that led to her new chamber, she found a very irate Professor Sinistra waiting for her.

"Miss Granger, would you care to explain what on earth all those elves have been doing for most of the day?" she angrily asked.

"They are cleaning and redecorating my chambers, Professor," Hermione answered.

"Miss Granger, do you realizes that as Astronomy Professor I work nights? My daytimes are reserved for relaxation and sleep. How am I suppose to get any sleep with all the noise those elves have been making?"

"I'm sorry, Professor. It will only be for today. I'll try to make sure the elves are more quiet," Hermione apologized.

"Thankfully, they seemed to have finally stopped. What were they doing in there?" Sinistra asked. "It sounded like they were trying to destroy the whole tower."

"Professor Snape has a lot of personal items that needed to be rearranged so that we could both live here. The elves were probably just making more closet space," Hermione told her.

"I don't see how the elves could find any of his personal items under all that filth. The man is a hazard to all of us who live in this tower. I keep waiting for that refuse and muck to catch fire and kill us all in our sleep," Sinistra said with a disgusted look on her face. Apparently, most of the staff knew about Snape's chambers. "Hope you will be able to keep that cluttered mess he calls his quarters clean."

"Professor Snape is a very busy and private man. I'm sure he would have dealt with it in time. I can assure you, Professor, that our chambers will always be in order," Hermione defiantly told her Professor. She wasn't sure why she felt the need to defend her new husband. For some reason, Sinistra's insults seemed to be directed at both herself and Snape. "If you will excuse me, Professor, I have an essay to prepare for."

Professor Sinistra turned her nose up at Hermione, and then headed back to her quarters.

Hermione was about to open the door to her chambers when she noticed the door was new. A large S.S. and H.G were carved into the polished oak. Under the S.S was a large serpent and under her initials was a lion's head. Hermione touched the carved lion and the door swung open. She gasped with amazement as she stepped through the door. Fresh clean air seemed to pour over her from somewhere in the room. Everything was different. The walls had been scrubbed completely clean and painted pure white. All bookcases and books were completely free of dust. The only piece of furniture that remained from this morning was the large desk. It was no longer soot black but a deep mahogany reddish-brown color. A new light brown, oversized suede couch sat in front of the large fireplace. The fireplace had been completely changed. The old cobweb-covered wood mantle had been replaced with a large white marble one. A small fire hissed and popped behind a new brass fire screen. The room's stone floor was scrubbed and polished to a high shine. Most of the floor was cover by a monstrous sized, dark blue Oriental rug. Next to the windows were two very large, comfortable-looking brown suede sitting chairs that matched the huge couch. The windows were covered with pearl-white lace curtains with gold leaf borders. Hermione didn't know if it was just the removal of the cauldrons, but the room seem to be twice the size she thought it was last night.

A flash of gold from above the fireplace caught her attention. There, just above the white marble mantle, was a life-size portrait of Harry riding his Firebolt. He was in his Quidditch robes and had his right hand outstretched, ready to grab the Snitch that was just inches from his fingertips. When Hermione smiled up at him, Harry waved back at her. She knew Dobby idolized Harry, but this was going to give Snape a stroke.

Hermione opened the door to the kitchen and was just as amazed. All signs of filth, dirty cauldrons and rotten potion ingredients were gone. The red tile counters were perfectly clean with only a set of spice jars sitting on them. The large, white, double porcelain sink shone like it was new. The new copper taps gleamed as the light hit them. All the cabinets had fresh coats of paint. Each cabinet door had a small magical mural hand-painted on it. Once again, it looked twice as big as it had before. She knew the elves must have enlarged the rooms.

She entered the bedchamber next. The sight before her took Hermione's breath away. The large four-poster bed was now at least a third bigger. The most beautiful bedspread she had ever laid eyes on had replaced the dark green bedclothes. The enchanted night sky, stars and far away galaxies, magically swirled on the smooth silk comforter. Hermione gently placed her hand on the bed. It was hard to judge distance with the whole night sky in front of her. Hermione smiled as a meteor shower danced across the cover. The bed wasn't the only change in the room. The single large oak bureau was gone. In its place were two even larger oak armoires with a full-length mirror separating them. The bureau on the left had the initials SS and the one on the right had HG. Also new to the room was a vanity and small chair placed between the bathroom and closet doors. A very comfortable looking futon was placed just under the large window that overlooked the lake. Hermione checked the closet. Like all the other rooms, it had been enlarged as well. All of her clothes were hanging neatly on the right side of the closet. Her trunk and shoes were just below them. Snape's freshly clean, all-black wardrobe hung on the left side.

Hermione held her breath as she opened the bathroom door. It was even more amazing than the other rooms. It was at least three times the size it had been. All of the flat gray, dingy tile was gone. The floor was one large piece of black-speckled marble. The walls were covered with royal blue tiles. The single sink had been replaced with a set of beautiful white glass bowls set inside a long white counter. A new mirror stretched the full length of the counter. The large claw-footed porcelain tub was now sparkling like new in the far corner with new gold taps. A stonewall shower stall with smoked glass doors had been added. A new toilet with a soft lid finished the room. It was the nicest bathroom Hermione had ever seen.

"Is Mistress Hermione liking her new quarters?" a voice asked from behind her.

Hermione jumped with surprise. "Dobby, you scared me," she said, placing a hand on her chest. The small elf gave her a worried look. "It's all right, Dobby. I was just so amazed by all you and your friends have done that I didn't notice you behind me." The kind words caused the elf to grin from ear to ear.

"Mistress Hermione is pleased then?" he asked with a smile.

"Pleased isn't the word, Dobby. This is all just so astonishing. You didn't have to do so much. All I needed was some cleaning and a little more color. How can I possibly thank you for this?"

"No need to thank Dobby and others. We house-elves are here to clean. But it is creating beautiful places that make elves happiest of all," he told her.

"It's just so wonderful. How were you able to make it so much bigger?" she asked.

"Chambers next to this was for Professor Quirrell. No one is wanting to live in place were He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named once dwelled. Dobby asked Headmaster, he said it is all right to take extra space. Dobby leaves enough room for when Mistress Hermione becomes a mother. A nursery with lots of windows, I think," the elf told her.

Hermione knelt down in front of Dobby and kissed him on the forehead. "Thank you, Dobby," she said softly to the elf. The tips of Dobby's long ears and nose started to turn bright red with embarrassment. He quickly put both his hands over his face and, with a pop, disappeared from the room. Hermione giggled at her small friend's shyness.

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Green flames erupted from the fireplace in Minister Fudge's office. Lucius stormed through them with a copy of the i Daily Prophet /i held tightly in his fist. "What is the meaning of this?" he furiously asked as he slammed the paper down on the Minister's desk. The headline read, "_Head of Slytherin takes Muggle-born Bride_."

"You promised me that Mudblood, Cornelius," Lucius angrily shouted.

"I did everything in my power to get her for you, Lucius. That fool Fitage warned Dumbledore about the new contracts before they were official," Fudge told him.

"Then just annul Snape's marriage. If you can annul mine after eighteen years, one day should not be a problem," Lucius suggested.

"I cannot. Dumbledore used an old Blood Marriage ritual to bind them. They will be man and wife for as long as they both live," Fudge informed him.

"Curse that old bastard. Is there no end to his constant meddling?" Lucius shouted as he slammed his hands down on the desk.

"Calm yourself, Lucius. We will find you a new wife. There are other Mudbloods and half-bloods that are still available. You could take Miss Tonks; Metamorphmagi are highly desirable," Fudge suggested.

"Don't be a fool, Cornelius. She's a Ministry Auror and a member of the Black family. I don't want someone like that snooping around in my personal life. Besides, she's my niece and Draco's cousin. What I want is strong new blood for my new heir. Granger's O.W.L's were the best in a generation. Her youth and power would have been perfect," Lucius told him.

Fudge pick up a stack of parchments off his desk and began to look through them. "Ah, here's a Mudblood that is still available. Her O.W.L's were quite respectable, and she is a Prefect, as well," Fudge said as he handed the parchment to Lucius. He took one look at the name and threw it back at the Minister.

"Parkinson! How dare you offer me that used, filthy spawn of a whore? I wouldn't let that trash pleasure my dogs," Lucius forcefully told him.

For the next ten minutes, Fudge continued to offer Lucius different candidates for a bride, but he rejected them all. Most were too old, over eighteen. A few younger ones were not beautiful enough or did not have above average magical abilities. While Fudge searched through the stack of parchment in his hand, Lucius picked up a parchment off the desk that Fudge had discarded without showing to him.

"What have we here?" Lucius asked with a large smirk on his face. "A Prefect, she won the Quidditch cup for her house as Seeker last year, and her grade average is only slightly less than Granger's. She is also more beautiful and younger than Granger."

Fudge leaned over and looked at the name on top of the parchment. "Ginevra Molly Weasley. That's Arthur's daughter, surely you can't be serious, Lucius?" Fudge asked. "The girl just turned fifteen and is a pureblood."

"The Weasleys have been blood traitors so long they can hardly be called purebloods any longer. This girl is even better than Granger. She will give me strong and intelligent sons that I will be proud to give my name to," Lucius said with a hunger in his eyes as he studied the photos of the beautiful young redhead.

"She's only fifteen, Lucius. The Ministry has no authority to force her to marry you. To marry an underage witch you would need for her father to sign a betrothal contract. I seriously doubt Arthur Weasley would be willing to do that," Fudge told him.

"But if Weasley does sign, she would be legally bound to become my bride?" Lucius asked with a calculating look on his face.

"Yes, if the contract is legally signed in front of two witnesses. But it's impossible, Lucius. You will never get Arthur to betroth his only daughter to you. You two have been mortal enemies since you were at Hogwarts together."

"Don't worry about Weasley. He's a sentimental fool. Wizards with soft hearts can always be manipulated into doing what you want. A family man like Weasley has a lot to lose," Lucius said with an evil grin.

"Enough about your search for a bride, Lucius. I want to know when you're going to give me the Death Eaters you promised?" Fudge asked with irritation in his voice.

"I've given you the names of all the Death Eaters I know. I can't be blamed if you're having trouble finding any evidence to arrest them with," Lucius told him.

"Most of the names you gave me are people we already knew about. We already had more than half of them locked back up in Azkaban. Are you sure Snape has returned to the Dark Lord's service? I find it hard to believe Dumbledore would still employ Snape if he knew," Fudge asked.

"Of course he doesn't know. Snape is very clever, and that ancient wizard is nearly completely senile by now," Lucius assured the Minister, knowing perfectly well that it was all bullshit.

"What about the Dark Lord? Have you heard anything from him since your return?" he asked.

"No. He is staying out of sight for the time being. As I told you, he is incredibly weak at the moment. He is only a shadow of his former self. I doubt he will show himself again until after he has found a way to kill Potter. Remember, Cornelius, the longer Riddle is on the loose, the better your chance at reelection. Fear is what you need people to deliberate on, not wizarding birth rates or the state of the Wizard Treasury. With enough fear, people will reelect anyone. You just need this war to occupy their minds," Lucius told him.

"If I can't prove that I'm winning this war, there is no point. I need a victory against the Dark Lord, Lucius. Right now most wizards believe Dumbledore or Potter is the only answer to this war. If I could bring a new Death Eater to trial, that could show that the Ministry is winning this, not Potter," Fudge complained. Lucius picked up a quill off Fudge's desk. After dipping it in ink, he wrote a single name down on a piece of parchment. Fudge took the parchment and read it. "Goyle? That huge imbecile that runs a brothel in Knockturn Alley?"

"Yes. He has been a servant of the Dark Lord since he turned seventeen. He's a moron. It shouldn't be difficult to get him to confess to anything you want. You will need to play up his role in the Dark Lord's army, but be very careful. He knows about me. It would be very bad for the both of us if that got out," Lucius warned.

"Don't worry, Lucius. I will have a very trustworthy associate of mine doing Goyle's interrogation. She'll Obliviate anything from his mind that might point to your former allegiance with the Dark Lord. By the time Miss Umbridge is done with that oaf, he will have confessed to being the Dark Lord's second-in-command," Fudge assured him.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was a quarter after nine and Hermione's all-girl birthday party was going very well. Professor McGonagall had given her friends an extra hour past curfew to be back in their dorms. Dobby had the elves in the kitchen make her a beautiful birthday cake. It was chocolate with fluffy white icing and red roses on it. Everyone had given her books as presents with the exception of Luna. The bright set of pink and blue his and her towels were a little disturbing. Thankfully, Snape had not made an appearance. She was hoping he wouldn't show until after the party was over.

"This place is so nice, Hermione. It would be almost worth marrying Snape to live here," Lavender said as she stretched out on the large couch.

"I can't believe a git like Snape gets to live in a place this nice," Parvati agreed.

"Actually, it wasn't this big or this nice last night. Dobby did a little redecorating for me today," Hermione told them. She wasn't going to tell them how bad the place was before. She didn't want them to feel any more sorry for her than they already did.

"I knew somebody had to have redecorated," Ginny stated. "It would be too scary to think that old Snape always had that big portrait of Harry over the fireplace." Everyone burst into giggles at the thought of Snape having a secret crush on Harry.

"So tell us, Hermione. What does Snape look like under all those black robes?" Parvati asked with an inquisitive gleam in her eyes. The other three girls stared at her with great anticipation.

"Well, I didn't really see him completely naked. I just saw from the waist down. He wears a long nightshirt when he sleeps," she told them. "From what I could tell, he is very lean and strong, kind of like an Olympic swimmer. He has a lot of hair on his body and it's very soft. I didn't see his chest, but I did feel it when he was lying on top of me. I think the muscles in his chest are well-defined but not too big," Hermione told her captive audience.

"God, Hermione. I almost wish I had been chosen to marry Snape this year, instead of you," Parvati told her. "I just hope I end up with someone half as decent next year."

"Don't worry, Parvati, you're a foreign national. You will be exempt from the law next year," Ginny assured her.

"My Dad is a foreigner, but my sister and I were born in Liverpool. Our mum is as British as they come. They're going to pick one of us next year, I just know it," Parvati said with a worried look on her face.

"I wouldn't worry too much, Parvati," Hermione told her. "I doubt this law will be around next year. I think it has already done all the damage Fudge wanted it to do. He will probably have it appealed soon after the last couple is married."

"Does that mean you won't have to have Professor Snape's baby?" Lavender asked.

"No. Even without the law, the contracts will still be legal. I can't divorce Snape until after I give him an heir or heiress," Hermione explained.

"What are you going to have anyway? A boy or a girl?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know, just whatever shows up," Hermione answered.

"There are potions you can take that will guarantee what the sex is," Ginny suggested.

"I've read about them. They kill only the male or female sperm. The problem is they reduce the chances of getting pregnant by sixty-percent. It might take me a year to get pregnant if I want to control the sex," Hermione told them.

"I already know what sex your child will be," Luna told her.

"How can you possibly know that?" Hermione asked, giving her cousin-in-law a suspicious look.

"My mother told me," Luna quickly answered. "Just before Mum died, she told me about cousin Snape's first child. Mum said that the next heir of Snape would be a very powerful witch. Mum also told me what her name will be: Persephone Helen Snape." Hermione's chest became tight at hearing the name. She had always planned to name her daughters after Greek goddesses, and Persephone was the name she liked the best of all. Helen was also her grandmother's name.

"Was your mother a seer?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"Sometimes, but only when she was under a lot of stress. I guess dying painfully was very stressful for her," Luna said, without any emotion on her face.

"Wait a minute. You're Snape's cousin?" Ginny asked, giving Luna a disbelieving look. "Why didn't you tell me? I'm supposed to be your best friend."

"I thought I was your best friend?" Hermione asked Ginny, feeling a little hurt.

"You _are_ my best friend, Hermione. But I'm Luna's best friend," Ginny explained.

"Actually, you're my only friend," Luna stated. "My housemates don't like me very much."

"All those Ravenclaws are just a bunch of stuck-up brats. They treat me like something they scraped off their shoe every time I visit my sister. Even Padma is getting a little snooty now that she is dating that prat Michael Corner. You don't need friends like that, Luna," Parvati told her.

"They are just a little afraid me, I think," Luna said with a faraway look in her eyes.

"What do they have to be afraid of?" Hermione asked.

"It's just the things I can do and the stuff I know," she answered.

"What kind of stuff?" Lavender asked, giving the strange blonde an anxious look.

"Stuff like this," Luna said and, with a loud crack, disappeared. The four remaining girls just stared at each other in shock. Ten second later, Luna reappear with another loud crack.

"You can Apparate already?" Parvati asked with a surprised look on her face.

"Yeah, I learned how when I was nine," Luna told them.

"That's pretty neat, Luna," Ginny told her. "Fred and George didn't learn until after they were of age."

"That's more that just pretty neat, Ginny," Hermione said with a look of amazement still on her face. "It's supposed to be impossible for someone to Apparate inside Hogwarts. How can you possibly do that with the school wards up?"

"It's not easy. It took me years to learn how to get through them. The trick is to move between the wards, not through them. It takes a lot of energy, though. I can't do it more than twice in a row, or I might splinch myself," Luna explained.

"That's amazing, Luna. I bet you're going to do really well on your O.W.L's this year," Hermione told her.

"I should do ok. I studied all the O.W.L material when I was eight. It's not too difficult," Luna nonchalantly said as she adjusted her bottle cap necklace. Everyone just stared at Luna. Even Hermione was feeling a little bit insecure around her now. Hermione had never met a true witch prodigy before. It was becoming quite clear that Luna was just as brilliant as she was bizarre.

"I'm out of butterbeer, does anyone else want one while I'm up?" Parvati asked as she stood.

"I think this was the last one. You might find something else to drink in the kitchen cabinets," Hermione suggested. Parvati headed into the kitchen while Hermione gathered up the twelve empty bottles and put them in the dustbin. She was determined not to let her new home get anywhere near as bad as it had been the previous day. Parvati returned from the kitchen with a large bottle and five drinking glasses in her hands.

"I found this in the a cabinet all by itself. It should help us celebrate Hermione's birthday and wedding properly," Parvati said as she put the bottle down and handed out the glasses.

Hermione picked up the bottle and read it. "Brandy? We can't drink this. None of us are of age yet," she stated.

"Lighten up, Hermione," Parvati told her as she took the bottle from her hand. "Every bride is allowed at least one toast in her honor. We'll just be doing what's right."

"I don't know, Parvati. This brandy probably belongs to Professor Snape. He might be very upset if we drank it," Hermione apprehensively said.

"Of course he won't be. Look at the date on the bottle. This stuff is over thirty years old. If he really wanted it, he would have drank it by now," Parvati said as she pulled the cork from the bottle.

"Ok, but just one little toast," Hermione said as she let Parvati fill her glass.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It had been a very long day for Severus as he made his way down the dungeon corridor that led to his chambers. Of course, they weren't his chambers alone anymore. They now partially belonged to that bitchy, whiney little tart of a wife of his. Severus had contemplated sleeping in his office tonight to avoid the nasty little Gryffindor. But he would never give her the satisfaction of knowing she forced him from his own chambers. Tonight Severus would make sure she understood that he was king of his own castle.

Severus gripped the door handle and sucked in a deep breath. He prepared himself for what carnage the elves had left behind. Pushing the door slowly open, he took in the scene of his new chambers. He was pleasantly surprised. He had expected to see the room completely redecorated in Gryffindor colors. The sight of the large, comfortable suede couch and huge, dark blue Oriental rug lightened his mood just a little. His confiscated desk looked better than the day he'd bought it. Severus had spent most of this intolerable day handing out detention after detention to anyone fool enough to snicker or make a comment about his new marital status. Tired of all the whispering, he finally gave detention to an entire fourth-year class. Right now, that big, soft-looking couch appeared mighty inviting to his tried feet.

Severus was just about to sit down and kick off his boots when something above the fireplace caught his eye. "Oh, for fuck's sake," Snape said as he stared at the large portrait. The boy on the broomstick glared down at him with his green eyes. Severus could just make out the tiny green Slytherin Seeker in the corner of the large painting, who didn't have a prayer of catching Potter or the Snitch. There was no way in hell he was going to let this horrid thing stay in his chambers. 'I think the fire is dying down; that portrait would make great kindling' he thought to himself.

He was just about to snatch the painting off the wall when the sound of girlish laughter erupted from the direction of his bedchamber. As Severus headed for the chamber door, he noticed a familiar looking bottle sitting on the desk. To his horror, he found every last drop of his thirty-year-old wizard brandy was now gone. From the sound of the incessant giggling coming from his bedchamber, he knew what must have happened to it. Severus opened the door to find five drunken teenage witches giggling and laughing on a large, new bed. His new wife lay in the middle of the group with a blindfold over her eyes while she stretched a pair of his white cotton boxers in her hands. As soon as the other four girls caught sight of him, they stopped laughing. His wife pulled off her blindfold to see why the rest had become suddenly silent.

She looked at him with only half-focused eyes and said, "Look girls, the Misses is home." All five girls began to laugh hysterically. Severus could feel his blood begin to boil with anger.

"You're drunk, Granger," Snape angrily spat at her.

"Oh, stop being such a wet tit. We're just celebrating my birthday and marriage," Hermione told him with a slight slur to her voice.

"This is beyond insolent. I should have you all expelled for this disgusting behavior. Not one of you is even old enough to drink yet," Snape irately stated.

"I'm of age now that I'm married to you. Besides, one little nightcap with my friends isn't going to hurt anyone. Now, why don't you strip out of those robes and show the girls what I'm getting for my money," Hermione drunkenly stated. "Come on, stud muffin, bring that big Slytherin snake over here and ravish me."

Everyone began to laugh again. But Severus had had enough. He marched up to the foot of the bed and grabbed Hermione by the ankles. He quickly pulled her off the bed, and then took hold of her waist. Severus lifted Hermione up and tossed her over his right shoulder. He then turned and headed out of the room.

"Save me, save me," she playfully said to her friends as she lightly kicked her feet and waved her hands.

Severus went straight to the terrace doors. He flung them open and stepped outside. He pulled her off his shoulder and carried her in both his arms. When he approached the railing, Hermione looked him in the eye and said, "You wouldn't dare." Instead of answering her with words, he just flung her over the railing.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Hermione screamed as she made the five-story plunge to the frigid lake below. A huge splash silenced her scream.

Severus smiled as he looked over the railing at the lake below. He wasn't worried that she would drown. The lake's full-time lifeguard was already on the scene. The giant squid hadn't let a single Hogwarts student drown in the four hundred years it had occupied the lake. He turned to see the other four inebriated girls coming out of his bedchamber. Severus took out his wand and pointed it at them.

"I think we should be heading back to Gryffindor," Parvati Patil said to the others. But Severus had no intention of letting them off so easy. He pointed his wand at Parvati and said, "_Wingardium Leviosa_." Parvati let out a high-pitched scream as she floated helplessly in the air. With just a flick of his wrist, Severus sent her shooting out over the terrace, landing with a large splash in the middle of the lake.

He turned back to the three remaining girls. "There's only two ways for you to leave these chambers. You can either jump of your own free will or be hurled to the far side of the lake. The boat dock is only sixty-five feet away. It would be in your best interest to jump," he told them with an evil gleam in his eyes. "I'm going to count to five. Anyone still in my chambers after I reach five is going for a very long swim. One, two, three…" When he reached three, both Ginny and Lavender ran to the terrace railing and climbed over. Both hesitated before jumping. He quickly placed a hand on each of their backs and shoved them off the railing. Both girls screamed all the way down to the lake. The sight of the double splash made him smile again. He looked to his left to see Luna Lovegood staring over the railing, looking down at her friends and smiling. Severus glared at her and said, "Miss Lovegood, I hope you don't think our family connection will save you from a swim tonight."

She just smiled at him, and then said, "I'll see you tomorrow in class, Professor. Goodnight." With a loud crack she was gone. Severus stared at the spot where she had just stood. Luna Lovegood had Apparated away, but he knew that was impossible. He stuck his head and tried not to think about it. As he came in off the terrace, the painting above the fireplace caught his eye. Potter had a furious look on his face. Severus simply smirked at the painting. The Potter in the portrait pulled his hand back from trying to grab the Snitch, and then very rudely flipped him the bird. Severus ran to the portrait, seizing it with both hands. He tore it off the wall with a forceful pull. Loose plaster hit the ground as he headed for the terrace. Like a large rectangular Frisbee, Severus flung the painting into the lake. He walked back inside his chambers, feeling better than he had in years.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ten minute later, Severus was sitting comfortably in one of the new suede chairs reading one of the books Hermione had received as a birthday present.

The door flew open and a very soggy and angry Gryffindor came storming in. "YOU FILTHY BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO ME AND MY FRIENDS," she screamed. She then headed for the bedchamber. Severus knew what she was after. Thankfully, he had already hidden her wand.

He got up out of the chair and followed her into the room. Not allowing Hermione a chance to search the room for her wand, Severus grabbed her by the waist from behind. He lifted her up and tossed her on the big bed. Before she could move, he straddled Hermione, sitting on both her thighs and pinning her arms behind her head with his hands.

"Get off me, you coward," she shouted at him.

Severus shifted his grip so that he could hold her wrists with just one hand. He then took his free hand and ran it across her breasts.

"What are you doing?" she nervously demanded with anger still her eyes.

"I'm doing precisely what you asked," he answered. "I'm ravishing you." Severus moved his hand lower across her damp blouse to her belly. Hermione continued to glare at him with hatred, but she didn't fight his touch. He pushed his hand under the waistband of her skirt. His hand began to rub her pubic bone through her knickers.

"You're a pig," she stated. But he detected a hint of excitement in her eyes. He pulled his hand up to the top of her knickers and pushed beneath them. She sucked in a deep breath as his long fingers made their way down. Severus leaned down and capture her mouth with his. At first she resisted, but slowly she allowed him to explore her mouth with his tongue as his hand pleasured her. He releast her wrists and placed his hand on her bossum. Quickly he brought her to a climax. "OH GOD!" she screamed.

As Hermione urgently tried to catch her breath, Severus withdrew his hand and got off the bed. He took off his robe, his shirt and finally his trousers. He stood before her, wearing only his black cotton boxers, with a monstrous bulge in the front. Hermione wasn't staring at his crotch. Her eyes were fixed on the four large foot-and-a-half long scars on his chest.

Severus picked up his wand and moved to the front of the bed. He pointed his wand at her and said, "Now how did that handy little hex of yours go? Ah yes, I remember now. _Liqueremotus_." A flash of blue light erupted from his wand tip, striking her body. Hermione remained silent as her clothes began to unravel and dissolve away.

Severus pushed his boxers all the way down past his ankles. He climbed back onto the bed, positioning himself between her soft thighs. For twenty highly pleasurable minutes, Severus made love to his young bride. She sreamed with pleasure for each of the three orgasms he provided before his own. He rolled over on the bed with her in his arms, bringing Hermione up on top of him. Hermione rested her head on his chest as if she were trying to hear his heartbeat. "You're still a Right Bastard," she said in a very sleepy voice. Seveurs felt no gilt in taking her, she was his wife now.

'Maybe married life won't be so bad,' Severus thought with sense of rare satisfied contentment.

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Next chapter coming soon.

Once Again I had to gut the hell out of the sex scene to be well with ratings guidelines. If you're old enough and want to read a lot steamier, version. Go to my author page and click on the link.

Ok, now that they are on their way to a good sex life, I'd like to know where you think I should take it from here? I was thinking that they should have sex somewhere outside of their chambers. I like to know where best place in Hogwarts would be for some forbidden coupling.

Thanks again to all my patient readers. I'll try not to make you wait so long in the future.


	20. The Devil In High Heels

Author's Notes:

Just when you thought I wouldn't update, here's another chapter. I'm starting to get into the meat of this story. There will be a lot of action in the upcoming chapters. I hope you will all enjoy it.

I want to thank all my loyal readers and reviewers. You are all wonderful and I couldn't do this without you.

Beta'd by Nakhash Makashefah. Her hard work on this story is what keeps me going. That and the fact she told me she'd cut my head off if I didn't finish it. Someone, please help me, she's so evil.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 20.The Devil In High Heels.

It was bright sunny Saturday morning in Little Whinging. Narcissa Potter Black stepped out of her taxi in front of number four, Privet Drive. This was her first venture into the Muggle world in many years. She wore a tight white and peach colored skirt and jacket. She liked the way she looked in these Muggle clothes. They showed off her figure a lot better than robes ever could. But most of all, she loved how her legs looked in four-inch heels. Narcissa took a hundred pound note from her purse, handing it to the driver and telling him to wait for her. He cheerfully agreed, staring at the note to make sure it was real. Narcissa smiled as she approached the small house. She knew the note in the taxi driver's hand would turn back into an oak leaf in twenty-four hours.

Narcissa couldn't believe how ugly and small all the homes on Privet Drive were. She thought the houses were better suited for house-elves than humans to live in. She knocked firmly three times on the front door.

"Dudley, see who's at the door. If it's the vicars, tell them we gave last week," a voice shouted from inside the house. The door opened; a hugely obese teenage boy had answered it. He had dirty-blond hair that looked like it had been slicked down with a stick of butter. He wore a Rolling Stones tee shirt at least two sizes too small for him. He took one look at her and smiled. Narcissa could tell the young pervert was undressing her with his eyes. It took some self-control not to hex the little troll right where he stood.

"Vernon Dursley, please," she said dryly to the fat boy.

"Dad, there's a lady here to see you," the boy shouted back into the house. A few seconds later, a large heavyset man came to the door. The boy had to move away because the doorway could not fit the both of them.

"Are you Vernon Dursley?" Narcissa asked.

"Yes, how can I help a pretty lady such as yourself, today?" the fat man asked with a lustful look in his eyes.

"My name is Narcissa Potter Black. I've come to talk to you about Harry Potter," she told him.

His smile vanished immediately. He gave her a contemptuous glare. "So you're one of them," he disdainfully said.

"Are you Vernon Dursley, Muggle, or are you not?" Narcissa forcefully asked now that the pleasantries were over.

"Yes, I am. And I have nothing to say to the likes of you. Leave now before I call the authorities," Vernon warned as his fat face started to turn pink.

"Mr. Dursley, I've come to speak with you about your treatment of Harry Potter. I'm not leaving until I have done so. I suggest that you let me in, Mr. Dursley," she threatened.

"You don't scare me, woman," Vernon said with a smile. "I know that none of your kind can enter my home unless you're invited first. That old codger Dingledork said so."

Narcissa simply stepped around the fat man and entered the small home.

"Wait just a minute!" Vernon shouted. "You're not supposed to be able to do that."

"The wards on this home are blood based. Any blood relative can come and go whenever they see fit," she told him.

"You're no relative of ours," Vernon angrily stated.

"Unfortunately, I am now. I married your nephew two weeks ago. Since I now carry his child, I'm considered blood by the wards of this house," Narcissa explained as she looked around the interior of the home. Narcissa approached the stairs. She walked around them to the cupboard door. It was a very small cupboard; an elf would feel cramped inside.

"Married? That's insane. The boy just turned sixteen a month ago," Vernon said.

"It wasn't his or my choice, Muggle. The Ministry passed a law forcing us to wed. You see, the Wizarding world needs new blood to mix with its old," she clarified.

"A bunch of perverted freaks is what you are," Vernon declared. "Married or not, I want you out of my house this instant!"

Narcissa responded by opening the cupboard door. There was still a small cot under the suitcases and cleaning supplies. "This is a very small place. It looks very uncomfortable, even for a child. Of course it's a lot better than Wizard's prison, but you'll find out for yourself soon enough," she said with a small smile on her face.

Vernon slammed the front door shut and stalked up to her. "Don't you threaten me, witch!" he menacingly said. "Neither my wife or I have ever done anything unlawful. We don't have anything to fear from the likes of you."

"Your wife might not have anything to fear, but you most certainly do. Stealing money from an underage wizard is frowned upon by the Ministry courts. And you put yourself under their jurisdiction when you took in little Harry and the trust money," she told him.

"I've stolen nothing," he spat at her. "I read the trust contract. It said we could spend that money anyway we saw fit, as long as we made sure the brat had a roof over his head, clothes, food to eat and went to school. We have done all that and more. They should give us a medal for all we've had to put up with."

"You're quite right, Dursley. Technically, you did nothing legally wrong in how you spent the money from the trust, even if you were being immoral at the time. However, like most men, you got greedy. Taking Harry's hard-earned wages from his summer job for room and board, which you were already being paid for, is illegal. It amounts to fraud and forced enslavement in the Ministry's eyes," Narcissa casually told him as she closed the cupboard door.

"You can't prove a thing," Vernon firmly said.

Narcissa chuckled. She couldn't help but laugh at the fat Muggle's ignorance.

"Come now, Dursley. We are wizards, after all. We can prove anything we want. With just a wave of our wands, we can stroll through ever memory in that fat head of yours. There's nothing you can hide from us. When the Ministry courts see how you've treated the beloved hero of the Wizarding world for nearly fifteen years, well, let's just say that the light of day will become a fond memory for you. Don't worry, Dursley. Muggles rarely live more than a couple of years in a Wizard's prison. Your suffering won't last too long," Narcissa informed him with a wicked smile.

"What is it that you want from me?" Vernon asked with a defeated look on his face, a look that Narcissa loved to receive from men.

"I knew you would see thing my way, Dursley," she said as she patted his fat cheek with her right hand and gave him a warm smile. "We have business to discuss. Could you have your elf, um, I mean servant, bring me some tea?"

"Dudley, tell your mum to bring some tea for our guest," Vernon ordered with a resentful look on his face. The fat teenage boy, who had been eavesdropping on them, headed for the kitchen. "Have a seat, Mrs. Potter," Vernon said with false sincerity.

"I prefer Mrs. Black, if you don't mind. But seeing how we're family now, you may call me Narcissa," she told him as she took a seat on the couch.

"So just what is it you want? Money?" Vernon uncouthly asked.

"No, no, Vernon. You don't mind if I call you Vernon?" she sweetly asked, but didn't wait for his reply. "I'm not here to take your money. Quite the opposite, in fact." Narcissa reached into her bag and took out a large envelope. She then handed it to Dursley.

"What's this?" Vernon asked as he took the envelope out of her hand.

"Fifty thousand Muggle pounds," she told him.

Vernon's eyes grew large as he looked inside the envelope to confirm she was telling the truth. "Fifty thousand quid? For what?" he asked, giving her a suspicious look.

"You own a small tool company, do you not?" she asked.

"Yes, what's that got to do with any of this?"

"I want you to sell me a third of it," she explained.

"WHAT! Are you insane?" Vernon demanded, losing whatever composure he had left.

"It's a fair offer, Dursley," she defiantly told him.

"A fair offer? It's highway robbery!" he angrily stated, but Narcissa noticed the firm grip he still had on the envelope full of money. Greedy men were so much easier to manipulate than men of principle.

"Come now, Vernon. I'm not a fool. Grunnings has shown a loss for six straight quarters. I doubt you'll find a better offer anywhere on the market today. You should also consider that the trust money is no longer available to you. Harry has already instructed Gringotts to discontinue its monthly deposits into your account," Narcissa informed him.

"He can't do that. That money's ours for another twenty-two months," Vernon angrily stated.

"Harry is considered of age now that he is married. It is well within his rights to cancel the trust. You should feel grateful he hasn't asked for an audit of the account," she told him. "Dursley, you need this money, and I need some solid investments. I suggest you take the money and keep your freedom, as well."

Vernon wrinkled up his fat brow as he thought about her proposal. She knew he would take it, but his pathetic male pride was causing him to hesitate first.

"I only own fifty-one percent of the company. My sister owns another thirty percent. If I sell you thirty-three percent, you will own more than either of us," he said with a worried look on his chubby face.

"Yes, but together you will still have nearly fifty percent of the company between you. It will remain in your family's control," she explained. "You know as well as I do that your company is heading downhill fast, Vernon. You should consider this offer as a very lucky turn of events."

"If you're looking for solid investments, why bother with my company?" he asked, giving her a suspicious look.

"Necessity, I'm afraid," she answered. "We have a law in our world preventing us from investing in Muggle companies. They don't want wizards using magic in this world to get rich. But there is a small loophole in this law. We are allowed to invest with family, even if that family is Muggle."

"There probably won't be any return on this money for quite some time, if at all. You could lose everything," he warned.

"Let me worry about that," she said with a smile. "I have a feeling Grunnings is about to have a very good fourth quarter."

Vernon gave her a very nervous look. She knew he wanted to tell her that he didn't want her or magic helping his company out. But his pride was no match for his greed. She wondered what he would think if he knew she had already arranged to buy his sister's shares of the company. The great thing about owning a Muggle company was, it could buy other companies.

"You won't regret this, Dursley. Soon, you will be a very rich man."

A hint of a smile appeared on his fat face. The money he held in his hand seemed to soften his opinion of her.

A tall thin woman with a tea tray in hand came into the room. Narcissa studied the woman's features, trying to see what traits her daughter might inherit. The woman's long, thin face looked very familiar to her.

"This is my wife, Petunia," Vernon introduced. "Petunia, this is Mrs. Black. She's your nephew's new wife."

"What?" Petunia said in surprise, turning to look at her. She took one look at Narcissa, and then abruptly turned away. "I have to check on Dudley's tarts," Petunia said as she hastily left the room.

"Is that Lily Evans's sister?" Narcissa asked.

"Yes, my wife was the normal one. It's a tragedy she had to grow up with that kind of person in the family," Vernon said, apparently forgetting he was talking to a witch.

"So Lily was the only witch in her family?" she inquired.

"Yes, thank goodness. One freak in the family is enough. That sister of hers should have been given away to your lot as soon as she was born," he stated.

"Where did your wife go to school?"

"Nowhere your kind wouldhave heardof, I'm sure. She went to a small private school in France. She speaks French fluently. She finished her education right here in Little Whinging. That's where we met," Vernon said proudly.

"I bet your wife is a marvelous cook," Narcissa said.

"The best in Surrey. No one can beat her blood pudding or shepherd's pie," Vernon boasted.

"You don't say. I think I'll go ask her for the recipes," Narcissa said as she put down her teacup and headed for the kitchen.

She entered the kitchen to see the tall woman washing a breakfast plate in the sink. The plate was spotless, but she continued to wash it just the same. Narcissa could tell the woman was lost in thought; she hadn't even noticed her when she came in.

Stealthily, Narcissa walked up beside her and whispered in her right ear. "I know who you really are."

Petunia jumped at the sound of her voice; she almost dropped the dish in her hand. She quickly turned to face Narcissa. She had a look of both surprise and anger on her face. Composing herself as much as possible, she said, "I don't know what you're talking about. With the exceptions of that freak sister and nephew of mine, I have never associated with your kind."

"Come now. I may have only been in my second year, but I still remember the most notorious witch to ever been expelled from Beauxbatons Academy," Narcissa said with a knowing smile on her face. "To think, here stands the leader of the once-proud Feminitus Sisterhood, playing Muggle with that fat oaf for a husband."

"You are mistaken," Petunia angrily spat in a low whisper.

"If I'm mistaken, why are you whispering?" Narcissa asked. "Just show me your right heel, Mrs. Dursley. The sisters would always put the mark of Morgana, Queen of Avalon, there. It should be in the shape of a bird, like this," Narcissa said as she took off her shoe and showed Petunia her heel.

She stared at the mark but said nothing. Finally, after Narcissa put her shoe back on, Petunia said, "I was told they disbanded the Sisterhood. No one was even allowed to speak its name."

"I joined when I was in my fourth year. It's kept secret by a blood oath, now. Twelve sisters still remain in power at Beauxbatons, and now Durmstrang," Narcissa informed her. "Someday soon, Hogwarts will follow."

"I don't care about that anymore. I gave up that freak show world for a normal life. What happens in that vile, abnormal, immoral world of yours is no concern of mine, " Petunia said with resentment, while still keeping her voice low.

"You were expelled from our world. You didn't have a choice but to leave. Tell me, was it really worth throwing away your future as a witch?" Narcissa asked. "Most people still think what you did was a act of pure madness."

"I don't regret it one bit," she said firmly. "Morgana's private scrolls were meant for witches' eyes only. Those wizards were going to break her translation spells. I know Morgan le Fey would have preferred that I burnt them before any man laid eyes on them."

"You know some in the Sisterhood think what you did was traitorous. But others, like myself, think you didn't really burn the scrolls at all. You burned some fakes and hid the real ones," Narcissa suggested.

"I can assure you that the Scrolls of Avalon were destroyed," Petunia forcefully stated.

Narcissa wasn't an expert at Legilimency, but she knew right away that the woman was lying through her teeth. The fact that she once led the Sisterhood and was now overplaying the Mary Muggles housewife role meant that she had something big to hide.

"Does Potter know you're a witch?" Narcissa asked.

"I'm not a witch!" Petunia said in a raised voice. "That part of me is dead and forgotten. My parents were fools for sending my sister into that world after what happened to me. Look what it got them. Dead, all of them."

"So Harry doesn't know?" Narcissa, inquired.

"No, he doesn't. Lily didn't even know. I was expelled before she got her letter from that infernal school. My parents were just so proud of her. She was going to be the witch I never could be," Petunia said with bitterness and hatred in her voice.

" Lily Evans?" Narcissa curiously asked.

"Evans is my mother's maiden name. They didn't want their precious new witch to be burdened with my last name," Petunia answered.

"I take it Petunia is your middle name, Cassandra?" she asked.

"Yes it is. I gave up the name Cassandra Rowlett when I became a normal, decent member of the human race," Petunia told her. "Now just what is it you want with my husband?" she demanded.

"Just a simple financial transaction. Completely of mutual benefit, I assure you," Narcissa said with a smile.

"Your type doesn't fool me, witch. I know you're up to something," Petunia said in an angry, threatening voice, as she stood face-to-face with Narcissa. Even though the woman towered over her, Narcissa continued to just smile. This day was becoming far more profitable than she ever expected it to be.

"Tell me something, Petunia. Do you think your fat Muggle husband would understand that his normal shepherd's pie-cooking wife was really a witch?" Narcissa asked with a malevolent look on her face.

"You wouldn't dare," Petunia furiously said.

"No, of course not. My sister's oath will keep me from telling your little secret. Even to that fat Muggle. But I will expect the same consideration in return. I will stay out of your business, if you stay out of mine," Narcissa told her.

Before she could agree, Vernon came into the kitchen.

"She's not trying to steal all your recipes, Petunia, is she?" he asked, a merry grin on his fat face.

Narcissa guessed that he must have considered his options and knew he'd receive a great deal for a third of his worthless company.

"No, of course not, Vernon," Petunia answered curtly. "Her kind wouldn't know what to do with a real recipe. Their lot is far too lazy to put good food on anyone's table."

Vernon suddenly looked uncomfortable. He was caught between his greed and wanting to agree with his wife.

"If you will both excuse me, I need to be on my way. I have several other appointments this day," Narcissa said, letting Vernon off the hook. "I will have my solicitor come by tomorrow with the necessary papers, Mr. Dursley."

"Do you want a receipt?" Vernon asked.

"Not necessary, Vernon. I trust you. You're family now," she answered, and then lightly patted him on his fat cheek.

Half a minute later, she was back in her cab heading for London. She took out a small piece of parchment and looked at the list of names on it. Next on her list was Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

This would be the first official meeting of the Defense Against The Dark Arts Club this year. Hermione checked her list to make sure everyone was there. They had lost half a dozen members to graduation last year. In their second meeting, they would discuss recruiting new members. This meeting was to discuss an old member, and that member was the last to arrive with Cho Chang at her side. Marietta Edgecombe. Hermione filled two small goblets with her Loyalty Oath Potion as the girls approached. Marietta was looking very pale and nervous.

"Is everyone here?" Cho asked as they reached the doorway to the Room Of Requirement.

"Yes, you're the last ones," Hermione told them.

"I thought it best that we were last," Cho said. "How many people know Marietta's coming back?"

"Only about half. Harry will tell them all about the vote, first thing," Hermione answered as she handed the two girls the goblets.

"What's this?" Cho asked, looking at the dark green liquid in her cup.

"It's the Loyalty Oath Potion. Read this and drink," Hermione said as she handed Cho a small piece of parchment. Both girls began to read.

_Oath Of Loyalty, D.A.D.A Club 1996 A.D _

_I hereby swear that I will never reveal or repeat anything_

_said, written or seen during club meetings. I will also not_

_discuss any plans or proposals made by my fellow club _

_members and never reveal anything that might be harmful to_

_the club or its members. I will never tell anyone about who_

_is a current or past member of the club. I will guard all_

_club secrets, even when I am no longer a member of the _

D.A.D.A club. I understand that breaking this oath will 

_result in a very harsh punishment of Petrifaction and the_

_immediate expulsion form the club. I understand that even_

_after I am expelled from the club, I will still be under oath_

_to never betray the club or its members. _

Cho drank as soon as she finished reading, but Marietta hesitated and looked at Hermione with a worried expression on her face.

"What?" Hermione impatiently asked, giving the Ravenclaw a very suspicious look.

"Hermione, there's no chance this could hurt my baby, is there?" Marietta asked as she stared at the goblet.

"You're pregnant?" Hermione asked with a surprised look on her face.

"Yep, Flint knocked her up their first night together," Cho told her. "But he's still been sneaking into the castle every other night to be with her.

Marietta stared to blush.

"It won't hurt your baby. But being petrified for a week might," Hermione warned her.

With a trembling hand, Marietta raised the goblet to her lips and drank the potion. As soon as she was done, Hermione took back the two goblets and followed the girls into the Room of Requirement. Hermione quickly warded the door as best she could. The inside of the room looked like a small theater. Everybody was sitting in the first two rows with Harry onstage.

"WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING HERE?" Michael Corner shouted as soon as he saw Marietta approaching with Cho and Hermione by her side.

"I invited her," Harry forcefully said from the stage.

"Are you insane, Potter? That bitch betrayed us all. What possible reason could you have for bringing her here?" Corner angrily asked.

"She's here to plead her case for reentry into the club. I promised her we would all listen to what she has to say," Harry informed the irate Ravenclaw.

"You can't be serious, Potter. How can you even think of letting Fudgepacker back into the club?" Corner crossly asked. "She'll turn us all in to the Ministry the first chance she gets."

"She could have already done that, Corner," Harry informed him. "She didn't at a very high cost to herself. I think we should at least hear what she has to say before judging her. After she speaks, we'll put it to a vote whether or not she rejoins."

"What about Flint?" Corner asked. "She could tell that Slytherin rat everything."

"She took the oath, Michael. She can't tell anyone anything, even if we don't vote her back in," Ginny told him.

"How do we know Flint won't force her with the Imperius Curse? I wouldn't put anything past that creep. We should use a Memory Charm on all her memories of the club and everything else in the last year, to be safe. Let the traitor do her sixth year all over is what I say," Corner suggested.

"Shut up, Michael," Cho said angrily. "You're just mad because Flint shoved your head in a toilet your second year."

"You shouldn't be here either, Chang!" Corner shouted back irately. "You're the one that brought that traitor to us in the first place. And you're still acting like her friend. It's no wonder I dumped you."

"I DUMPED YOU, YOU SLIMEY TWIT," Cho screamed. "My mother didn't raise a fool. I know all you wanted was to get into my pants."

"I dumped you first, Chang. I just didn't tell you," Corner said with a sneer on his face. "I don't know who you're are saving it for, Chang. Potter's already got a hot new wife; he doesn't need, or probably want, the likes of you anymore."

"You pig!" Cho screamed.

Hermione wondered if Cho and Corner would petrify themselves if they hexed each other. She was careful to word the oath so that no one could hurt another club member, but it might not apply if it had nothing to do with the club. Hermione was eager to see the effects of her oath firsthand. Maybe she'd get lucky with these two.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Harry shouted from the stage. "Fudge and Umbridge were trying to do a lot more that just get us all expelled last summer. They tried to send us all to Azkaban as traitors. Marietta is here to tell us what they were up to and what they tried to make her do." Harry motioned for Marietta to join him on the stage. "I won't tell you to vote Marietta back in. All I ask is for you to listen to what she has to say and keep an open mind," Harry told them, and then let Marietta have the stage.

Hermione joined her on the stage, handing her a phial of potion.

"What's this?" Marietta asked.

"Veritaserum. We want everyone to know you're telling the truth," Hermione answered.

Marietta quickly drank the potion and handed the phial back to her.

For the next fifteen minutes, Marietta told her story. She told about how her mother had ordered her to help Professor Umbridge weed out the undesirables at the school, even before her sixth year began. Marietta recounted how Umbridge would call her into her office at least five times a week to find out what Potter and the others were up to. Marietta had held out for as long as she could, but finally Umbridge brought Marietta's mother to the school. Her mother threatened to disown her if she didn't tell everything she knew about the D.A. club.

Hermione knew she hadn't said anything about the D.A. club before that. The word SNEAK shows up less than twenty-four hours after the oath is broken.

Marietta explained that her Muggle father left when she was just a baby, after he found out that he had married a witch. Her mother has hated Muggles and Muggle-borns ever since. She told Marietta that having a half-blood daughter was the only thing keeping her from finding a decent pureblood husband.

It was after the members of the D.A. club fought Death Eaters in the Ministry of Magic, that Fudge had her mother bring her in for interrogation. Marietta said she knew she was wrong about Dumbledore when he selflessly took the blame for starting the club and let Fudge try to arrest him. She was so ashamed that she had betrayed him and the club members. Marietta was determined not to betray the club again. She hexed her own throat, so that she couldn't speak, before she went to the Ministry. She knew her mother would let them use Veritaserum on her. She refused to sign the statement saying Harry and Dumbledore were planning to overthrow the Ministry using Hogwarts students.

Her mother responded by promptly throwing her out to live on the streets. Marietta learned that her father had drunk himself to death three years earlier. She went to stay with her father's younger sister, Aunt Mattie. Aunt Mattie had five children ranging in age from ten months to twelve-years-old. Mattie saw Marietta as a free nanny and maid service. Worst of all was Mattie's husband Bart. He wanted something completely different from Marietta. She had to ward her bedroom door every night to keep him out. Finally, after spending two months cleaning, changing diapers and being groped by a middle-aged pervert, Marietta ran away. She spent a week on the streets of Muggle London. It was Cho's family that finally gave her a place to stay when they got back from visiting China.

Hermione thought the story was quite sad and moving. It made her feel lucky to have wonderful parents that truly cared for her and wouldn't force her to do anything she didn't want to. She knew the club members would be eager to give Marietta another chance. She had Ginny pass out small pieces of parchment to everyone in the room.

"If you think Marietta should be allowed to rejoin the D.A club, just put a check on your piece of parchment. Put an X if you don't want her to rejoin us. Marietta can only rejoin the group if she gets two-thirds of the votes. The votes are completely anonymous, so you don't have to sign them," Hermione explained to everybody. She then set a small hatbox on the edge of the stage.

One by one, everyone put their vote into the hatbox. Hermione and Harry quickly read the votes. Only three votes were for letting Marietta back into the club: Harry, Hermione and Cho. Eighteen were against, and one parchment had a circle on it; Hermione knew it was Luna's. Harry gave Hermione a worried look. She knew he didn't want to be the one who told Marietta and Cho that she couldn't return. Hermione looked at Marietta. The girl looked very tired. She had probably been through the worst year of her life and was holding onto some small hope that it was finally going to get better. Hermione handed Harry the hatbox and went to the front of the stage.

"It was very close, but you just made it. Welcome back, Marietta," Hermione told the very nervous Ravenclaw.

Instantly, Marietta and Cho embraced each other then started screaming and jumping up and down.

"Remember, everyone. These votes are to remain anonymous. Don't tell anyone how you voted; we don't want any hurt feelings," Hermione said to the stunned-looking members of the club.

"Now, on to more important business. We need to talk about the biggest threat to the school and to us: that threat being one Draco Malfoy and his two stupid henchmen," Hermione told them.

"What makes that runt Draco such a threat?" Seamus Finnegan asked. "I don't think that twit could take on any one of us in a duel. And his two sidekicks barely know which way to point a wand."

"They are much more dangerous than you think," Hermione seriously told the group. "How many of you know what happened to Pansy Parkinson?" she asked.

"I heard that you and Ginny caught her in the fifth floor corridor and beat the snot out of her for what she pulled in the Great Hall earlier that evening," Corner said.

"No, I heard she tried to commit suicide by jumping off the Astronomy Tower after Draco broke up with her for being a Muggle-born," Susan Bones told them.

"I heard she faked the whole thing and the Headmaster expelled her for it," Ernie Macmillan chimed in; most seemed to agree with him.

"None of that true," Hermione told them. "I could try to explain what really happened to Parkinson, but I think it's best that I show you."

Hermione motioned to Harry. He and Ron brought a small table to the center of the stage. On the table sat a shallow stone basin.

"This is a Pensieve," she announced. "The Headmaster has graciously allowed me the use of it today. I will be placing the memory of what Ginny and I witnessed the night of Parkinson's attack. I will also place a memory of a package Pansy received while I was visiting her in the hospital wing the next day."

Placing her wand to her head, Hermione removed the memory of what happened in the fifth floor corridor that night, placing it in the Pensieve. She then removed the memory of Draco's sick present to Pansy and placed it in the basin, too. She made sure the memory started just as the professors entered Madam Pomfrey's office and ended before she went into the office herself.

"Ok, one by one each of you come up and touch the liquid in the basin," Hermione ordered. "I'll go first."

Hermione touched the silvery liquid. Very quickly, she found herself standing in the middle of the fifth floor corridor. Seconds later, Harry appeared, followed by Ron. It only took a minute for everyone to join her. They all watched as Hermione and Ginny entered with the cleaning supplies in their hands. Suddenly, a loud thud rang out.

"What was that?" Hannah Abbott nervously asked.

"Just wait and listen," Ginny told her.

As soon as Hermione heard herself and Ginny begin to speak, she realized that she had completely forgotten what she and Ginny were talking about before Pansy showed up. All she could do was bury her head in her hands and listen to herself discuss her sex life in front of everyone.

"You wanted to shag Professor Lupin?" Colin Creevey asked. Hermione wanted to crawl into a hole and just die.

"You wanted Longbottom, too?" Corner asked. "You should have come to me if you needed to be shagged that bad."

"No one's that desperate, Michael," Ginny angrily stated.

"Hermione, did you sleep with Professor Lupin?" Susan Bones asked with a smile on her face. Hermione just shook her head.

"Do you hear that?" the Ginny in the memory asked. Everyone stopped talking and listened.

"What?" Hermione's other self asked.

"Listen, it's some kind of scraping noise," Ginny said.

Hermione looked down the corridor to where she knew Pansy was. Everyone was deathly silent.

"What is it?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, what is that thing?" Lavender asked.

"Quiet, Lav, just listen," Ginny told her.

Everyone watched as Pansy slowly made her way down the corridor. Hermione felt guilty as she watched the pitiful figure approach. She suddenly felt someone take her hand in theirs. She looked to her right to see a very sad-looking Ginny standing next to her.

"I've seen this so many times in my dreams," Ginny told her as a tear ran down her face.

"Me, too," Hermione said.

"I believe that's a Blood Phantom," her old self stated.

"A Blood Phantom, cool," Dean Thomas said.

"It's not a phantom. That's Pansy Parkinson," Harry told him.

Several people gasped as they realized that it was Pansy's beaten and bloodied form moving towards them. Some of them rushed over to her.

"My God, this can't be Parkinson," Cho said as she stared into the beaten girl's unrecognizable face.

"Why are you two just standing there?" Padma Patil angrily asked. "Why aren't you helping her?" she demanded.

"We don't know yet," Ginny explained.

Hermione found it very hard to witness the next couple of minutes of her memory. She wanted desperately to run over and take the wounded girl in her arms again.

"Bloody hell, are we going to have to clean up after that stupid thing?" Ginny asked.

"What a bitch," Michael Corner said.

"Shut up, Michael," Ginny angrily said to the Ravenclaw.

Hermione felt a small sense of relief when her other self finally ran to Pansy's aid. After Ginny left to get help, everyone gathered around the two figures on the floor.

"Pansy, PANSY!" Hermione heard herself scream.

This caused her to lose control and start crying the same way she was doing on the corridor floor in front of her, with Pansy's broken body in her arms. Ron pulled her close in a comforting hug. She laid her head on his shoulder and let the tears come.

Minutes later, everyone breathed a big sigh of relief when Madam Pomfrey told them Pansy was still alive. As soon as she, Ginny and McGonagall left the hospital wing, the memory faded.

The new memory quickly took its place. Hermione saw herself standing at the foot of Pansy's bed.

"Who's that?" Terry Boot asked.

"It's Pansy. This is the next day," Hermione answered.

"Parkinson doesn't clean up half bad," Corner stated.

"You're disgusting, Michael," Cho told him.

Everyone watched as the owl delivered Draco's gift. They gathered around the small bed as Hermione carefully opened the package.

"SON OF A BITCH!" Ron furiously shouted as he read the parchment from the box.

A few seconds later, the memory faded. Hermione suddenly found herself standing on the stage with the rest of the club. The girls were all crossing their arms in front of them, as if it had suddenly become very cold in the room. A few had very angry looks on their faces.

"Are you sure it was Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle that did that to her?" Hannah asked.

"I'm sure. I used a Time-Turner to make sure," Hermione told her.

"What are we going to do about them?" Dean Thomas asked Harry with an angry look on his face.

"I don't know, Dean. That's what we're here to figure out," Harry told him.

"I say we kill the bastards," Michael Corner suggested.

"I agree," Dean quickly said. "My sister is in her third year here. I don't want her to be Malfoys next Muggle-born victim. If that sick bastard would do that to one of his own, I don't even want to think what he might do to her."

"We're not going to kill anyone, Dean. Well, not unless we have to," Harry said. "Our first concern is getting rid of Malfoy and his two thugs. We have to keep a close eye on the bastards until then. What we really need is a spy in Slytherin to help us. Does anyone know someone in that house we might be able to trust?" he asked.

"I might know someone," Susan Bones told them. "Daphne Greengrass."

"What makes you think Greengrass will help us?" Hermione asked.

"She's my cousin. We grew up together. She always stays with my family during breaks. She keeps telling me that the Sorting Hat made a big mistake by putting her in Slytherin. She hates everyone in her house. The truth is, the Hat was spot on. She's as sneaky as they come. She doesn't let anyone stand in the way of what she wants," Susan told them.

"Do you think you can trust her?" Harry asked.

"I trust her more than I trust any of you," Susan quickly answered.

"Good," Harry said. "That brings up something else. We lost six members over summer. I think we should always have at least thirty members. That means we need to recruit seven more this year. I would like to have eyes and ears in every house; hopefully, Susan's cousin can help us with Slytherin. Remember, the D.A club has nothing to do with house rivalries. We are all in the same house when we're at these meetings or doing D.A business. This isn't a game, my friends. It's up to us to make sure what happened to Parkinson doesn't happen to anyone else. The staff can protect the school from the outside world's threats. It's our job to protect it from whatever dangers lie within."

"What do we do about Draco, for now?" Neville asked.

"Make Malfoy and his two goons' lives a living hell," Harry ordered. That brought a smile to everyone's faces.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Next chapter coming soon.

As you all can tell, I really like to keep my beautiful Narcissa slightly on the evil side. I love the bad girls, what can I say?

The club will be keeping Malfoy busy by making his life as miserable as possible. I would love to know what you think they should do to the twit?


	21. Family, Old And New

Author's Notes:

WARNING, WARNING, WARNING. This chapter contains major Half-Blood Prince spoilers. Please read book six first.

I just want to thank everyone that has patiently waited for me to update this story. I don't plan to give up on any of my WIPs. They're too much fun to write.

This chapter was beta'd by Nakhash Makashefah. She faithfully stood by me as my stories got canon raped by the sixth book. I don't know what I would do without her.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter 21. Family Old And New.

Molly Weasley searched through the racks of used robes at Stiller's Meet Your Needs secondhand robe shop. Pansy sat quietly on a bench nearby. For two weeks the girl had been wearing Ginny's old clothes, half of which used to be Ron's. Luckily, the girl was small for her age. Most of the clothes could be easily made to fit with the use of Molly's wand.

There were very few robes on the store racks that were fit to wear in public; most were worn and faded beyond repair. Molly wished she could have taken Pansy to Madam Malkin's for a new set of robes, but she just couldn't afford it. She knew the girl's self-worth was incredibly low at the moment. Pansy was used to having the finest robes money could buy. Molly knew these secondhand robes would only confirm the girl's worst fears that she was less of a person than she once was. Pansy now believed she was everything her parents had taught her a Muggle-born was: something loathsome and filthy, not even deserving of anyone's pity.

Unfortunately, this was all Molly could afford for now. Arthur was three years overdue for a raise. She knew he would never see one while Cornelius Fudge was still in office. The man had been trying to drive her husband out of the Ministry for years. Arthur's department shrank a little more each year.

She had already accepted some money from both Charlie and Bill to help her with the cost of Ron and Pansy's wedding. Also, Dumbledore had offered to replace Pansy's wand and all of her clothes. Molly had refused. Pansy was going to be a Weasley and Weasleys always took care of their own --even if it did mean secondhand robes.

After going through all of the racks, Molly found two robes in decent condition that might fit Pansy. One was dark burgundy and the other royal blue. Pansy cringed every time Molly would pick up a black or dark green robe. Anything that reminded Pansy of her former school robes made her recoil. Molly knew the child would never return to Hogwarts. It would be up to the family to finish Pansy's education.

"I think these will do nicely, Pansy. Why don't you go try them on?" Molly asked as she laid the robes across Pansy's lap.

Pansy gave the dressing room a nervous look before asking, "Will you come in with me?"

Molly gave her a reassuring smile and said, "These changing rooms are a bit cramped, so the two of us won't fit very well. But I will be right outside the door."

With a very uneasy look on her face, Pansy made her way over to the changing room door. Once inside, she slowly closed the door making sure that Molly was right outside. Molly sighed as she leaned against the door. Pansy was still terrified of being left alone or in the company of men. Molly had to sit with her ever night until she fell asleep. Half the time she would wake to find Pansy had come into her room and slipped into her bed during the night. It seemed impossible that this girl could marry her son in less than two weeks, but Molly knew the Ministry wouldn't give them any choice.

"Mrs. Weasley, fancy seeing you here," Melinda Stiller, the storeowner, said as she approached. Melinda was a very tall, thin woman and had the face of a hyena. Melinda and Molly were in the same year together at Hogwarts, but there was no love lost between the two. Melinda was a Hufflepuff through in through; she believed hard work could cure any problem. She saw all Gryffindors, Slytherins, and Ravenclaws as lazy sots getting by with the least amount of effort.

"Hello, Melinda," Molly said with a phony smile.

"The school term started weeks ago. It's a bit late for school robes, I would think," Melinda accused with a self-satisfied smirk on her face.

"I'm with my son's fiancée. Her robes were destroyed in an accident at school."

"Isn't this something her own mother should be doing?"

Molly didn't want to answer. She knew Melinda was a notorious gossip. She wanted to tell the stick-woman to mind her damn business. "Her mother was unavailable," she lied.

Melinda gave her a probing look and said, "That's right…that new blood law chose one of yours. Whom did your son end up with?"

"Pansy Parkinson," Molly proudly said.

There was a real shocked look on Melinda's face. She placed a hand on Molly's shoulder and said with sincerity, "I'm so sorry, Molly. I know this must be very painful for you. What the Ministry is doing to your family is a crime."

"What do you mean?" Molly asked.

"Forcing your son to marry that spawn of a Muggle whore. I feel so bad for the Parkinsons. Imagine, having that filth living under your roof for sixteen years, thinking she was a normal girl. Now the Ministry is dumping their garbage on you. Someone really should do something about it. Thank God, these marriages aren't permanent," Melinda said with pity in her voice.

Molly was shocked. The woman actually meant every word she'd said. She didn't know if she should feel sorry for Melinda or hex her.

"Try to be brave, Molly. You and your family will get through this," Melinda assured her. She then gave Molly a sympathetic smile and walked away.

Molly couldn't believe what she had just heard. Were people so callous they would make a pariah of an innocent girl because she had had the bad luck to be born to a prostitute? Molly shook her head. This was just another undeserved burden her family would have to bear. Molly realized she hadn't heard any sounds from the changing room in a while.

"Pansy, is everything all right?" Molly asked.

After not hearing a response, Molly entered the small room and closed the door behind her. Pansy was sitting on a small stool with one arm and her head in the burgundy robe. From inside the small room Molly could hear other customers going through the racks outside. She realized that Pansy had heard every word Melinda Stiller had said. She felt herself fill with rage. Melinda had to know that Pansy could hear her through the door. The woman just didn't care. Molly pulled the robe back over Pansy's head. She gathered the girl in her arms and held her.

Despite Melinda Stiller's disgusting behavior, Molly bought the two robes. They needed them and Stiller's was the only place she could afford at the moment. Pansy hadn't said anything since overhearing Melinda. They still had to get her a new wand. Ollivanders was a few shops away. Molly was starting to notice the stares she and Pansy were receiving as they made their way through the crowded streets of Diagon Alley. Apparently, many people had the same opinion as Melinda of her future daughter-in-law.

Halfway to Ollivanders, Pansy suddenly stopped. She was staring at an upscale witches' boutique across the cobblestone street from them. A very well-dressed witch with light blonde hair was exiting the store.

"MOTHER!" Pansy shouted as she ran across the busy street, forcing people out of her way. Before the woman could turn around, Pansy embraced her in a tight hug. Martha Parkinson had a shocked and uncomfortable look on her face. Molly just stood on the opposite side of the street, not sure what to do. She felt a touch of jealousy seeing Pansy embracing her mother with love in her eyes. But she knew Pansy needed her real mother now, more than anything.

"Mum, it's me. I've missed you so much," Pansy said through sobs as she buried her face in her adopted mother's bosom.

"DOUGLAS!" the woman shouted as she tried to free herself from Pansy's grip. Molly suddenly had a sinking feeling in her stomach. This didn't look like it was going to go well.

A large wizard with a thick mustache and salt-and-pepper hair exited the store. When he saw Pansy with her arms around his wife, his face filled with rage. He raised a large black walking stick, sporting a gold eagle head on the tip, above his head.

"GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF HER, MUDBLOOD," he bellowed. With one quick, hard blow, he struck Pansy on the top of her head. She instantly crumpled to the ground.

"PANSY!" Molly screamed as she started running across the crowded street.

Douglas Parkinson grabbed his wife by the arm and headed away from the limp figure he'd left on the sidewalk. He looked back at Molly, giving her a murderous glare. People on the sidewalk were casually stepping over Pansy's body as if it were just some rubbish left behind. As soon as Molly reached Pansy, she took out her wand, pointed it above her and shouted, "_Repellipopulus_!"

There was a large blue flash. People on the sidewalk and street were thrown back twenty feet in all directions, most landing on their backsides. Molly dropped to her knees beside Pansy. Gently, she lifted the girl's head. Pansy's eyes were opened but unfocused. She blinked a couple of times, trying to clear her head. As soon as Pansy's eyes cleared, tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"It's all right, child. They're gone now," Molly said as she embraced the girl in a comforting hug.

"She doesn't love me," Pansy sobbed. "They never loved me, did they?"

Molly put both her hands on the sides of the stricken girl's head. She looked her right in the eyes and said, "No dear, they didn't. People like that can't love anyone. But you're with me, now. And I promise you my family will love you just as much as we love each other."

"How can you? You're a pure-blood family. You don't deserve to be stuck with me. Everyone is right. I'm nothing but a used up whore, like my mother," Pansy said, as shame and sadness filled her eyes.

Molly took her hands from the girl's head. With her right hand she quickly smacked Pansy hard across the face. The girl's sobbing stopped. She stared at Molly with a shocked look.

"You will never say such a thing again, Pansy," Molly warned. "What happened to you was a brutal crime and tragedy. But it doesn't make you any less a person. You're not the first girl this has happened to, Pansy. I have known others that have gone through this. None of them are whores because of it. You belittle them by calling yourself one. Self-pity is a very dangerous thing, Pansy. You can dig yourself into a hole that you may never climb back out of. Be angry at who did this to you. Not at yourself." Molly stood up. She reached down and offered Pansy her hand. Pansy took it and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.

"You're going to be a Weasley soon, Pansy," Molly told her. "We Weasleys are made of pretty strong stuff. And we always take care of our own." For the first time since she met her, Molly saw what looked like the start of a smile on the girl's face. Just over Pansy's right eye, a small trickle of blood leaked down from her scalp. A worried look appeared on Molly's face. She bent Pansy's head forward to inspect her scalp. The cut wasn't too bad, but there would be a large lump for a couple of days. "I should call the MLE Patrolon that buffoon. What he did was assault," Molly angrily stated as she sealed the wound with her wand.

"Father has always had a temper," Pansy told her.

"He is not your father. Those people were never your parents, Pansy. They're just two conceited snobs that wanted a pet, not a daughter. You're much better off without them," Molly assured her as they started to move down the street towards the Leaky Cauldron.

"Where are we going?" Pansy asked.

"Home. I need to take care of that bump on your head. We'll come back for your new wand later."

Molly walked slowly making sure Pansy was okay. She hated what the Parkinsons had done to Pansy, but she knew it was for the best that Pansy saw them for what they really were. Scum!

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Screams filled Black Manor early Sunday morning. Harry abruptly awoke with his scar burning worse than ever before. His head was throbbing and his throat was dry and very sore. Harry realized that he was still yelling. He sucked in a large breath to calm himself. He found it hard to think clearly. Too many images were swirling around in his head. He didn't know where he was. The picture of the large white tomb was still very clear in his mind.

Harry realized that four sets of very large eyes were staring at him. He was in the main bedchamber in Black Manor. All of the house-elves were on the bed surrounding him. Olivia held a damp cloth to his forehead while two more elves held his hands.

"Master is okay now. Bad dream is over," the elf holding his right hand said.

A dream? It couldn't have been only a dream. It felt so real. He could still see Snape blasting Dumbledore off the Astronomy Tower with the Killing Curse.

"Do you have some kind of neurological disorder I should know about?" a voice asked from across the room.

Harry removed the damp cloth from his forehead. He fumbled for his glasses on the nightstand. As soon as they were on his face, Narcissa came into focus. She was in her morning robes standing on the far side of the room with a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Where is Draco?" he asked, giving her an accusing look.

"It's Sunday. He's probably at Malfoy Manor with his father, planning how to kill us over breakfast," she said. "Why do you want to know?"

"What's today's date?" Harry asked, looking around the room as if he had never been there before.

"It's the twenty-second," she answered. "You have been having some sort of nightmare for most of the night. You wouldn't wake, and your forehead started to bleed about an hour ago. I think you've ruined my sheets."

"What is the month? The year?" he demanded.

"September, ninety-six," she answered, sounding very bothered.

Harry threw off the sheets covering him and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I need to see Dumbledore." Harry was about to get up when he realized that he was completely naked. He quickly pulled the sheet back over his exposed groin.

Narcissa smirked and said, "There is nothing there I haven't already seen."

Harry knew that was true, but it still felt as if he hadn't lived this life in over a year's time. One of the elves quickly brought him fresh underwear, a bathrobe, and a pair of slippers.

"I sent word to your school that you were ill and having nightmares. They said someone would come for you," she informed him.

"How long ago was that?" Harry asked as he pulled on his underwear, keeping the sheet on top of him.

"About thirty minutes ago. I think someone is at the front gates already. I would have let them in, but I wanted to see if they could find a way through the Manor's wards. It doesn't look like they're having much luck," Narcissa casually said, then took another sip of her coffee.

Harry threw on the robe and slippers and grabbed his wand. "I can't believe I married you," he angrily stated as he left the room.

"I have a Ministry marriage license if you want proof," Narcissa mockingly called after him.

The sun was shining brightly as Harry stepped outside the Manor. A lone figure awaited him at the wrought iron gates. Professor Lupin was massaging his right hand. His hair looked a little bit frizzed. Remus had a very sad look on his face, as if he had just delivered some very bad news to someone.

"This gate has a bit of a temper," Remus told him.

"Sorry, Professor. The wards here are pretty strong. She doesn't trust anyone."

"Narcissa's paranoia is well deserved, Harry. Like you, she has a habit of collecting enemies."

"Yeah, we're a match made in heaven," Harry said as he opened the gates for Lupin.

"We were told you were having nightmares, Harry. Was it a vision from the Dark Lord?" Lupin asked as he walked up the Manor's drive beside Harry.

"I don't know, Professor. It wasn't like any dream or vision I've had before. It felt so real. I feel as if I've lived an entire extra year in one night's time," Harry tried to explain.

"Was your scar hurting, Harry?"

"Yes. It still hurts a little."

"This may be another of the Dark Lord's tricks," Remus warned.

"Maybe, but it didn't feel that way," Harry said as he rubbed his forehead. "It felt like someone was showing me what could happen. Almost like a warning."

"You need to be careful, Harry. The Dark Lord is a master deceiver," Lupin cautioned.

Pierre appeared as soon as they both crossed the front door's threshold. "May I take your cloak, monsier?" he asked Lupin. Remus handed the doorman his slightly tattered cloak.

"I don't believe Voldemort had anything to do with the vision, Professor. If what I saw is true, he would never want me, of all people, to know," Harry assured him.

They made their way to the large table in the dining hall. Harry sat at the head of the table; Remus took the seat next to him. Two house-elves appeared with fresh juice and coffee. They both disappeared with a pop after setting the refreshments on the table. Harry hardly noticed them. The way Narcissa treated her elves was rubbing off on him. He almost never thanked them anymore. Living part-time in the Manor was affecting him. Harry knew he would have to work even harder at not becoming a snob.

"The problem is, Harry, you don't know what is true and what isn't."

With a worried look, Harry said, "I know it can't all come true. The dream started right after the battle in the Ministry last summer. There was nothing about my marriage or the new law in this vision. You didn't even become our D.A.D.A Professor. But I still feel that part of the vision'll come true."

"I didn't get the job?" Remus asked with a raised brow. "Who did?"

"Snape," Harry coldly answered. His blood still boiled with rage every time he thought of the man.

"The Headmaster was considering Professor Snape for the job this year if I hadn't accepted," Lupin said as he rubbed his hand on his chin. "If Severus took my position, who replaced him?"

"Horace Slughorn."

"Slughorn?" Remus said with surprise. "I didn't realize that my old Potions Professor was still alive. He may not be."

Harry reached for the orange juice and said, "So it's true. Slughorn's real and he was head of Slytherin when you and my parents went to Hogwarts?"

"Yes, it is true. But that doesn't mean anything, Harry. Someone might have mentioned Slughorn to you in passing. I think your subconscious might have been filling in the blanks. It used everything you know and might have forgotten to make sense of this dream or vision," Remus skeptically said.

Harry looked right at Remus; he was pretty sure he had never heard of Slughorn before the vision. When his green eyes met Remus' he asked, "Professor, have you ever heard of the Half-Blood Prince?"

There was truly a look of shock on Remus' face. Harry knew right away the name meant something to him.

"I'm right, aren't I? You've heard it before," Harry said with a self-satisfied smile on his face. "It's Professor Snape, isn't it?"

"No, Harry. Severus isn't the Half-Blood Price. You are," Remus answered.

Now it was Harry's turn to look shocked. If there was one part of the vision he was sure about, it was that.

"That not possible, Professor. Snape is the Half-Blood Prince. His father was a Muggle and his mother was a witch named Eileen Prince," Harry said with desperation in his voice.

Remus placed his hand on Harry shoulder. With an elegant smile, he said, "No, Harry. Severus comes from a very old pure-blood family. His mother was a witch from Russia named Natasha Levotov. Her great-grandfather was supposed to have been the great Russian wizard Rasputin. I knew Eileen Prince. She wasn't Severus' mother, Harry. She was James' mother. She is your grandmother, Harry."

"I'm the Half-Blood Prince," Harry said, but still couldn't believe it.

"Yes, Harry. That is what your grandmother always called you. Of course, Lily wasn't too thrilled with it."

Harry placed both of his hands on his forehead. He felt a terrible headache starting.

"Harry, this could have all been just a very vivid dream. You were only a baby, but the memory of your grandparents remains in your mind. I'm sure you've heard your grandmother's name before. Your brain was just trying to make sense of some long forgotten memories," Remus assured him.

Harry took his hands away from his face and said, "I guess you could be right, Professor. It might've just been a dream. But can I ask you a personal question, to be sure?"

"Of course, Harry," Remus said with a smile.

"Did you tell Tonks that you couldn't see her anymore because you're a werewolf?"

Remus' amber eyes grew twice their normal size. His mouth fell open slightly. "Impossible," Remus said in a whisper as he stared at Harry. "How could you know?"

"It was in my dream. You also said that you thought you're too old for her. Is it true, Professor?"

"Yes, Harry. It is very true. I told Tonks that very thing not an hour ago," Remus answered. The man was visibly shaken.

"She doesn't care that you're a werewolf, Professor. If you break up with Tonks, it'll really hurt her," Harry told him.

"She deserves someone better, Harry. I could never be a real husband to her. I know that I'm only half a man. I have accepted it. She doesn't need the burden of my illness."

"She loves you, Professor. It'll destroy her if you do this. Tonks won't get over you. I've seen it in my dream," Harry said, trying to convince him.

"We still don't know what part of your vision is fact, Harry," Remus stated.

Harry just smiled. He knew Remus believed the dream was real. Why else would he start calling it a vision again?

"Harry, we need to discuss this with Dumbledore right away," Remus suggested. "Do you have your Portkey with you?"

"No, but I think I can Apparate," Harry told him.

"You know how to Apparate?" Remus asked hesitantly.

"Er... yeah. I learned how in my vision," he explained.

"Maybe we shouldn't test that until later, Harry," Remus cautioned. "We don't want you to splinch yourself."

"Maybe he should get properly dressed before leaving," Narcissa stated as she strolled into the room. "He's a member of the Black family now. Appearances mean everything these days. Being seen with a werewolf is bad enough."

"Ah, Narcissa. You're looking lovely and cold as ever," Remus said as he stood and gave her a mock bow.

Narcissa stood at the far end of the table. She gave Remus a smug look and said, "Lupin, you're looking quite well. I'm glad to see you finally got that flea problem under control."

Remus kept his smile. Harry knew he would never let Narcissa know the insult had hurt him in he least bit.

"Thank you for your concern, Narcissa. I'm glad to see the years have treated you _fairly_ well. You're months away from needing those high-priced regeneration potions all the middle-aged witches are using."

Harry watched Narcissa. Like Remus, she held her cool and just politely smiled.

"I did hear correctly, Remus? My very intrepid niece has had her eye on you? Well, there is no accounting for taste, is there? She gets that from her mother. She's most likely under the impression that werewolves are animals in the sack. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth," she said with a cruel smirk. "Still, it is brave of you not to saddle that poor child with your cursed existence. Not when there are so many real men out there for her to choose from. Men with a future," she said, then took a sip of her coffee.

Remus was no longer smiling. What she'd said about Tonks really wounded him. He was used to insults about his condition. But what Narcissa had said about his relationship with Tonks was more than Harry thought Remus could endure.

"I had forgotten you had such intimate knowledge about werewolves, Narcissa. How is Fenrir Greyback? Do you two still stay in touch?"

The crashing sound of breaking glass filled the large room. Narcissa had let her coffee cup slip from her fingers to the floor. All color had drained out of her face. Her body was visibly trembling.

"You…you… you must excuse me. I'm late for an important appointment. Harry, I will leave it to you to show your guest out," Narcissa said, trying to regain her composure. She folded her arms over her chest and quickly fled the room.

Harry gave Remus a puzzled look and asked, "What was that about?" It was the first time he had seen Narcissa back out of a verbal confrontation. Remus looked equally surprised.

"I believe that is what's called, putting one's foot in one's mouth," Remus said with regret.

"I don't understand, Professor."

"It was a just a rumor, Harry. I didn't know it was true. It was thoughtless of me to mention it to her," Remus apologetically said.

"What rumor?" Harry curiously asked. "Does it have something to do with Greyback, the werewolf that bit you?"

Remus just stared at him.

"What?" Harry said.

"Harry, I've never told anyone the identity of the werewolf who cursed me. Not even James and Sirius. How can you possibly know?" Remus asked.

"My vision, Professor. Greyback was one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. He was attacking children of the people who defied the Dark Lord. He even attacked Bill Weasley right inside Hogwarts," Harry answered.

"We need to see Dumbledore right away," Remus said with a worried expression. "If Fenrir Greyback has rejoined the Dark Lord, the Order must be warned."

"What about the rumor? Did Narcissa have an affair with Greyback?" Harry asked.

"No, Harry. Fenrir worked closely with Lucius, doing deeds that even Lucius found repellent. He disposed of a lot of Lucius' personal enemies. It was rumored that Lucius once let Greyback have his wife for a night as payment. Greyback had apparently been lusting after Narcissa for some time. He waited until Lucius really owed him before he demanded her. From Narcissa's reaction, we must conclude that the rumors were true," Remus explained.

"From the look on her face, I don't think she was that willing," Harry suggested.

"Fenrir Greyback would never want her if she were willing, Harry. He only takes women. Most don't survive," Remus said with a sympathetic look. "She must have thought no one knew."

"How did you know, Professor?"

"I know many werewolves, Harry. Greyback is a braggart. He has told the story many times. I didn't really believe it was true. Lucius has always been a very jealous man. Whatever Fenrir did for him, it had to be big," Remus answered. "Go get dressed, Harry. We must get to Hogwarts right away."

As Harry ran up the stairs to his bedchamber, he thought about what Remus had told him. He had a feeling Narcissa wouldn't be inviting Remus back anytime soon. If she was a victim of Fenrir Greyback's carnal lust, he needed to know. Harry knew bringing up the subject with Narcissa might get himself hexed with an Unforgivable Curse. Harry also had a bigger problem to deal with. He might secretly be in love with Ginny Weasley.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

For over five straight hours Harry told Dumbledore as much as he could about the Half-Blood Prince vision. He tried to remember every last detail. Especially when it came to Snape and the Horcruxes.

"Sir, do you believe me? This can't be just a dream," Harry asked. "It has to be a vision of some kind."

"I think it is both, Harry," Dumbledore said, looking at Harry over his half-moon glasses.

Ever since Harry lost Sirius in the battle at the Ministry, his relationship with the Headmaster has been a bit shaky. But after seeing Dumbledore's death in the vision, Harry knew his feelings were as strong as ever for the old wizard.

"How can it be both?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure, Harry," Dumbledore honestly answered. "But we know some of what you have seen isn't true. Professor Slughorn returning to Hogwarts, for example. But your description of my encounter with young Tom Riddle at the orphanage was accurate. Down to every word said. The memory of my meeting with Riddle when he asked to teach here was just as precise. And the Order has suspected that Scrimgeour is the real force behind Cornelius Fudge. No, Harry, this is much more than a simple dream."

Harry could tell that what he'd told the Headmaster really worried him. If the Horcruxes did exist, it made Voldemort even more dangerous.

"What about, Snape, Professor. In my vision he betrays you. We have to do something about him. He can't be trusted. We need to warn Hermione."

Dumbledore just chuckled. "My dear boy, if Severus was going to betray me, he would have done so a long time ago. The person in your vision wasn't Severus Snape, Harry. I'm not even sure if he did betray me," Dumbledore suggested.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked in frustration. "Of course it was Snape. He killed you and ran away with Draco." He couldn't believe the Headmaster still trusted Snape. Harry wondered if Dumbledore was becoming a bit barmy.

"Harry, some unknown person or force placed a lot of information into your mind while you slept. It's quite apparent to me that you tried to make sense of this new information by placing it all in a very real dream. The Severus Snape you dreamed about wasn't real. But who he represented was."

"Who did he represent?" Harry asked, knowing he wasn't going to like the answer.

Dumbledore just smiled and said, "You, Harry."

"ME?" Harry said in a raised voice. Harry was right; he didn't like the answer.

"Yes, Harry. You fear that someone close to you will die because of your fight against the Dark Lord. Subconsciously, you feel that you are betraying them. You saw Severus as your darker half. You're afraid that you might be faced with the same choice he had to make," Dumbledore explained.

"I would never do what he did," Harry stated firmly.

"The truth is, Harry, none of us know until we're faced with it. With any luck, you'll never have to find out."

"My luck doesn't seem to run that way," Harry glumly said. "Professor, how are we to know what in my vision is and isn't real?"

"It won't be easy, Harry. I would like you to come to my office twice a week. We'll put what you've experienced into my Pensieve and have a look at it. We'll start with what you learned about these Horcruxes. I also plan to send members of the Order to this cave. If there is a part of the Dark Lord's soul there, we need to find it."

"Professor, in my vision someone had already stolen Slytherin's necklace."

"Nevertheless, Harry, we need to be sure. In the meantime, I will have this tested," Dumbledore said as he removed a ring from his desk drawer.

Harry felt a shiver run down his spine as he looked upon Slytherin's signet ring.

"Be careful, Professor," he warned. "You lost the use of your hand because of that thing."

Dumbledore held up the ring and studied it with his eyes. "Don't worry yourself, my boy. I have no intention of destroying this ring anytime soon."

"If it's a Horcrux, you must destroy it, Professor," Harry insisted.

"Harry, we know that not everything in your vision is true. If this is a piece of Voldemort's soul, he might be able to feel when we destroy it. I believe it will be safer to destroy the Horcruxes once all are in our hands. The Dark Lord must never know we seek these artifacts, until it is too late."

Dumbledore placed the ring back in his desk drawer. He stood up and came around his desk to Harry. "Harry, I need you to promise me something?" he asked in a very serious tone of voice. "Harry, we don't know if these Horcruxes really exist. For all we know, Voldemort might have put this all in your head to confuse you. Until we know for sure, you must keep what was in your vision to yourself. No one must know, not even your closest friends, Harry. It would only endanger them needlessly."

"I promise, Professor. I won't tell anyone," Harry vowed.

"Very good, Harry. I think you should get some rest now, my boy. That vision didn't allow you much sleep. You might make a visit to the hospital wing and ask Madam Pomfrey for a dreamless sleep draught," Dumbledore advised.

"I think I'll do that, Professor," Harry said as he got up to leave. He had a lot of thinking to do. His mind was still swimming with images from his vision. Before leaving, Harry turned and asked, "Professor, you said that Snape was really me in the vision. If that's true, who was Draco supposed to be? I know the real Draco would've killed you on the spot."

"We can only make a guess, Harry," Dumbledore answered.

"A guess is better than nothing. Nothing is what I'm coming up with," Harry frustratingly said.

"You're going to be a father soon, Harry. The Draco in your dream might represent your unborn child," Dumbledore suggested.

"But I'm having a girl."

"I don't believe the sex of your child matters, Harry. Only that, one day, they might have to make the same choices your Draco had to make. Of course, I'm only guessing," Dumbledore cautioned.

"I don't think I like the idea of my daughter growing up in a world with Voldemort in it," Harry said with a cheerless look on his face.

"Then it will be up to us to make sure she does not," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Now go get some rest, Harry. I need to contact my old friend Horace. See if he did, in fact, tell Tom Riddle about Horcruxes."

"When you see Slughorn, Professor, please don't mention me to him," Harry asked.

"Do not worry, my boy. I will be asking the questions, not answering any," Dumbledore assured him.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Just south of the small village of Ottery St Catchpole, Draco and three other cloaked figures landed their brooms in a field just west of the Burrow. They were all supposed to be at Malfoy Manor for the evening, celebrating his father's return from Azkaban. If anyone asked, they had an airtight alibi. It was nearly eleven o'clock. Draco knew he had to be back by one in the morning at the latest.

He'd only had a week to plan this raid. Besides Crabbe and Goyle, Millicent Bulstrode was the only other person he'd had time to recruit. Draco was actually surprised at how eager Millicent was to take part in getting rid of Parkinson. They had shared a dorm for five years, but Millicent seemed to have a real resentment towards Pansy. Draco wasn't about to question it. He needed all the help he could get.

"Listen up. Leave your brooms here. We'll walk the rest of the way," Draco ordered. "You each have a bottle of dragon's blood with you. We'll need to pour it on the ground all the way around the house. There can be no gaps or someone could escape."

"How will dragon's blood stop someone from escaping?" Millicent asked with a skeptical look on her face.

"It stops anyone from Apparating or using a Portkey, stupid. Didn't you pay attention in Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Draco asked, giving her a snobbish, superior look.

A fire appeared in Millicent's eyes. She quickly moved forward towards Draco. When she was standing only inches away, Draco realized for the first time that Millicent was nearly as big as Crabbe and Goyle. As quick as a snake, Millicent grabbed him by the throat with one hand. Draco could feel the air to his lungs being cut off. She was just as strong as Crabbe and Goyle, too.

"What did you call me?" she demanded through clenched teeth.

"_Nothing_," Draco was able to choke out.

"That prissy little bitch used to call me stupid," Millicent angrily said. "I only put up with her because my father works for the Parkinsons. I don't have to, anymore. Not from her or from you, pretty-boy."

As soon as Millicent released him, Draco dropped to his knees and gasped for air. He was having a bad month. This was the second time a witch had assaulted him. He would make sure both Millicent and Granger paid for touching him. But right now he needed Millicent. He had no idea how many of the Weasleys were at home. His plan needed a least four attackers, one to guard each side of the house. Draco gave Crabbe and Goyle a furious look. He couldn't believe they'd let that hag manhandle him that way.

Draco got to his feet and said, "Come on, you lot. We have to hurry."

"What a dump," Goyle said as they reached the Burrow's garden. "It looks like a stiff wind could blow that pile of shit down."

"Quiet, Goyle. We don't want to wake anyone," Draco warned. "We want them all asleep when we start our attack."

"I want Pansy," Millicent coldly said. "I want to personally beat that Mudblood's pretty face in. I want her to know it was me."

"Bulstrode, you do understand that we're not here to beat anyone up? We're here to finish off everyone in this house. Kill them all," Draco firmly stated.

"Kill everyone? Isn't that going a bit far, Draco?" Goyle nervously asked.

"It has to be done, unless you want to spend the rest of your life in Azkaban," Draco angrily answered.

"But you said she'd never tell, Draco," Crabbe timidly mentioned.

"Leave it to Weasley to actually want that filthy Mudblood whore," Draco said with disgust. "He might convince her to talk one day. We can't take that chance."

"I don't care if that Mudblood talks or not. I want to see her die a painful death for all the crap my father made me put up with," Millicent said with a cruel gleam in her eyes. The sight gave even Draco a chill.

"This is the plan. We each take one side of the house. Pour your dragon's blood on the ground to your left, a fourth of the way around or until we made a complete circle around the house. There can be no gaps or they'll escape. Once that's done, I'll destroy the fireplace from the outside so they can't Floo away. As soon as you hear me do that, start throwing fire hexes into every window and doorway. This dung heap will go up in a flash. Hex anyone trying to escape. We can't let even one live to tell what happened. When we're done, I'll put the Dark Mark over the ruins. Let everyone think the Weasleys were the targets. Not Pansy."

"I hope Pansy runs out towards me," Millicent evilly said. "I'll Stun her, then throw Pansy's ass right back in the fire. I can't wait to hear that bitch scream. I want to see her flesh cook on her bones."

Draco, Crabbe and Goyle gave her a cautious look.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Molly had only been asleep for an hour when a strange noise woke her. She looked at the clock on her nightstand. It was eleven o'clock, too soon for Arthur and Bill to have returned from their meeting with the Order. The twins were spending the night in their store again. She and Pansy were the only ones home. Molly guessed that Pansy was having another nightmare. She had some dreamless sleep draught in the kitchen. Molly got out of bed and headed downstairs. When she was only halfway down the stairs, an enormous explosion on the ground floor rocked the entire house. The air was filled with dust and debris.

Molly placed her hand over her mouth to keep from breathing in too much dust. Just as the dust began to clear, a huge fireball crashed though the living-room window. Another one filled the kitchen. The sound of breaking glass and flames filled the house. The dust in the air seemed to ignite.

Molly scrambled back up the stairs as a wave of scorching heat followed her. She burst through Pansy's bedroom door. The girl was already out of bed. Molly knew they were under attack. She would have to Apparate them both out of the house. She wrapped her right arm tightly around Pansy's waist.

"Hold on to me as hard as you can, Pansy. We're going to side-along Apparate out of here," Molly told her as thick black smoke filled the room.

Molly concentrated for all she was worth but nothing happened. They both started to cough and choke as more smoke filled the room.

"What's wrong?" Pansy asked though her coughs.

"I don't know. I'm being blocked somehow," Molly answered.

There was a loud crash and another fireball broke through the bedroom window. Pansy screamed as the bed and wall next to her caught fire. Molly's eyes were stinging from the smoke. She knew the smoke would overtake them both in less than a minute. They had to get out of the house now. She grabbed Pansy by the wrist and pulled her from the room. There was only one way to go: up.

Molly and Pansy coughed violently as they made their way up the stairs through the thick smoke to the attic. The ghoul was screaming its head off.

"Get out of here, you bloody twit!" Molly screamed at the creature. The ghoul let out one loud cry and disappeared through the wall.

"We're trapped. What do we do now?" Pansy asked with desperation in her voice.

"Charlie left an old Cleansweep up here that doesn't work too well. Help me find it," Molly told her.

They both got on their hands and knees and started looking for the broom. Molly's hands were blistering from the heat rising up through the floorboards. Smoke filled the room about their heads. It was becoming almost impossible to see.

"I FOUND IT!" Pansy shouted.

"Go to the window," Molly told her.

The floor creaked and cracked with every step Molly took. She knew they only had seconds before the whole house caved in upon itself. Just before reaching Pansy and the window, Molly's left leg broke through the floorboards up to her knee. She screamed as flames burned her flesh. Molly pulled on her leg but couldn't free herself.

"GO, PANSY! Before it's too late," Molly screamed.

Pansy dropped the broom by the window. She rushed over to Molly.

"No, Pansy. Save yourself. It's too late for me," Molly pleaded.

"I'm not leaving you," Pansy forcefully said as she took hold of Molly's right arm. "You're all I've got left. Please don't leave me."

With their combined strength, Molly was able to pull her leg free. The skin was raw, blackened and burned in part. She couldn't stand on it. The pain almost made her pass out.

She leaned on Pansy as they made their way to the window. A large part of the floor collapsed behind them. Huge flames filled the room. Pansy took the broom's handle and smashed the window. Flames were roaring on the outside of the house, as well. Pansy helped Molly onto the broom then climbed on behind her. They both kicked off together. The old broom wobbled badly under their combined weight. Leaning forwards, they flew through the broken window. The attic exploded behind them. A huge fireball surrounded the two witches. Just as Molly thought they would burn to death, they broke into the clear night air. The ends of Molly's nightdress were still on fire. The broom started to buck wildly as its few remaining straw bristles burned. They started to rise quickly. Then the broom dove straight toward the ground.

"Pull, Pansy. Pull as hard as you can," Molly ordered.

Together they both pulled back on the old broom's handle. Slowly, the broom started to level out, but not quickly enough. Molly knew they were going to crash.

"Brace yourself, Pansy," she shouted.

With a sickening crack, they crashed into the small hill just east of the Burrow. Molly lay stunned, flat on her back, with the broken broom between her legs. Pansy lay moaning next to her. Gathering as much strength as she could, Molly leaned over to check on Pansy.

"Ouch," Pansy cried as Molly touched her right arm. "I think it's broken," Pansy said through tears.

"Is anything else broken?" Molly asked.

"No, I don't think so," Pansy answered as she sat up.

A gigantic _BOOM_ rocked the night. Molly could see the smoke and fire reaching hundreds of feet into the air from the other side of the small hill. She crawled to the top. The sight before Molly's eyes tore her heart apart. Her beloved home was engulfed in flames. Half of it had already collapsed on itself. Above it was the ghostly green image of the Dark Mark. All of her children's photos were now gone. Everything they owned was being destroyed. So many memories lost.

Molly could make out four cloaked figures in front of what was left of her home. They were yelling and dancing in a circle. Thankfully, the flames and smoke had covered Molly and Pansy's escape. The attackers probably believed no one had survived.

"It' s Draco," Pansy said in an emotionless voice.

Molly looked to her right to see Pansy standing there cradling her arm.

"Get down before they see you, child," Molly whispered.

"YOU SHOULD HAVE KILLED ME!" Pansy screamed with fury. "YOU HEAR ME, YOU BASTARD? YOU SHOULD HAVE KILLED ME!"

Forgetting about the pain in her leg, Molly reached up and forcefully pulled Pansy down next to her. The girl cried out as her right elbow hit the ground. Molly placed a hand over Pansy's mouth to silence her. She was thankful the roar of the fire had covered Pansy's outburst.

"Please, Pansy. We're not safe yet," Molly pleaded. Pansy remained quiet as Molly removed her hand. "We're both still alive. That's all that matters now."

Out of the corner of her eye, Molly saw the four cloaked figures speed away into the night sky on brooms. She pulled Pansy into a warm hug. She knew she had saved the most valuable thing in her house: the brave girl in her arms. Together they lay on the hill in each other's embrace and wept for their lost home.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Next chapter coming soon.

Please let me know what you think.

Here a question for my reviewers. What parts of the Half-Blood Prince should I use in this story? I've opened it up so that I can use most of the sixth book if I want. But what parts should be trashed?


	22. Aftermath

Author's Notes:

WARNING, WARNING, WARNING. This chapter contains major Half-Blood Prince spoilers. Please read book six first.

I'm back with another chapter for my loyal readers. After HBP, I was considering wiping out all my old stories and just starting fresh. I took a long break to think about. After the holidays, I sat down and reread this story. I found out that I still love it as much as I used to. So with some new plot ideas, I'm starting again. I hope you will enjoy.

This chapter was beta'd by Nakhash Makashefah. She thought I had given up, that she was finally free from my butchered grammar. "Just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in!"

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.

The Power of the Quill.

Chapter. Aftermath.

Arthur Weasley watched the sun rise over the smoldering ruins of his home. Some of the Order were now here with him. Madam Pomfrey had made the trip from Hogwarts to care for Molly and Pansy's wounds. She insisted that Molly needed bed rest in a quiet safe place for a couple of days to heal properly. Arthur wanted her and Pansy to go straight to number 12, Grimmauld Place, where it was safe, but Molly wouldn't hear of it. She'd spent the last hour sifting through the rubble that was their home for many years, hobbling on her bandaged leg, looking for something she could save. The only thing she found was the family's locator clock. It was badly scorched, with her clock hand stuck on mortal peril. Molly still held onto it as if it were her most prized possession.

Arthur had never felt more helpless than when he and Bill Apparated into his front yard just before midnight, to see the ghostly image of the Dark Mark hanging over the burning ruins of his home. For ten very terrifying and frantic minutes, Arthur and his eldest son searched for Molly and Pansy with almost no hope that they would be found alive. When Bill found the two huddled together under a small tree on a hill east of their home, it had felt like a burning, poisoned arrow had been removed from Arthur's heart.

The fire wasn't even completely out before a reporter from the _Daily Prophet_ showed up. The Dark Mark had been easily spotted in the nearby village. Thankfully, Kingsley Shacklebolt handled the questions. He told the reporter that most of the family were away from home when the attack occurred and that only a teenaged girl, fiancée to the Weasleys' youngest son, perished in the fire. He informed the reporter that the girl was an orphan and had no other family. Bill kept Pansy hidden until the reporter left. Arthur knew this lie would only keep Pansy safe for the time being. If anyone in the Ministry checked to see if his son's marriage contract was active, they'd know she was still alive. He had only known the girl for two weeks, but was already becoming quite fond of her.

It was during Kingsley's interview with the reporter that they found out this wasn't the only Death Eater attack of the night. Ministry Aurors had found Emmeline Vance nastily murdered in her own flat, only minutes after the Dark Mark had been spotted over her home. From the description the reporter gave of the grizzly scene, it would appear that Fenrir Greyback was most likely Emmeline's killer. Arthur knew the attacks weren't related. Voldemort had surely ordered his werewolf Death Eater to kill Emmeline, but it was undoubtedly Lucius Malfoy and his evil spawn that planned and perpetrated this cowardly attack on his home. Just to silence a girl who had already been through hell at the Malfoys' hands.

Arthur looked over at the girl sitting quietly on the ground, wrapped in Bill's cloak. She was just as quiet as ever, but there was noticeably something different about Pansy. Her eyes were no longer filled with fear and shame. A cold resolve had taken its place. Arthur had been in the Order long enough to recognize that look. This girl had only one thing on her mind now: _Revenge_.

"Dad, we have to owl Ron and the twins," Bill said as he made his way toward him. "They need to know everyone is all right before they read about the attack in the _Daily Prophet_."

"I'll take care of it after I take your mother to headquarters," he told his eldest son. "Do you have someplace to stay, Bill? If not, you can join us at Grimmauld Place."

"I'll stay with Fleur at her flat. I already have some clothes there," he answered.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at his son and asked, "Isn't there only one bedroom at Fleur's flat?"

"The couch pulls out, Dad. I'll be fine," Bill said with a slightly guilty look on his face. "Besides, it's going to get pretty crowded at headquarters if the Death Eaters continue to target Order members."

"This had nothing to do with Death Eaters," Arthur told his son as he looked at the burnt ruins of his beloved home. "This was all Lucius Malfoy and his twisted son."

"Why does the hair on the back of my neck always stand on end whenever I hear the name Malfoy?" Bill asked.

"Because the man despises us and always has. He has money, power and everything else we don't, yet deep inside his black heart he knows we are better than him and always will be," Arthur coldly answered. He reached down into the rubble and picked up the remains of a Muggle porcelain garden gnome he had been trying to figure out. It didn't appear to attract or scare away his garden gnomes. As the plaster statue crumbled in his hands, Arthur felt the rage building in him. "But this time he has gone too far. I should have dealt with him after I found out about that blasted diary that almost took our Ginny from us. Now he's tried to kill a defenseless, traumatized girl and my Molly. No more. Harry Potter might have to be the one who defeats You-Know-Who, but the Malfoys will be taken care of by the Weasleys," he vowed.

"What are we going to do?" Bill asked as he placed a hand of support on his father's shoulder.

"I think it's about time we put the twins' unusual talents to good use. Let's see if Lucius can stand against the power of Loki the god of mischief and his two most devoted disciples."

"Unleashing the twins, Dad? For anyone else I would say that was worse than death. But worse than death is just what the Malfoys deserve," Bill agreed.

"Let's get your mother and Pansy to Grimmauld Place," Arthur told his son. "I won't feel better until I know they're safe."

Bill looked at the burnt ruins of his childhood home and sorrowfully said, "I can't believe the Burrow is gone. I was born in that house."

This time Arthur placed his hand on his son's shoulder, and said, " Don't worry, Bill, we'll rebuild once spring arrives. The Borrow will be just as it once was. Our home."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Wednesday morning, the sun was shining brightly over Diagon Alley as Narcissa made her way along the cobblestone streets. The whole British Wizarding world was still in an uproar over the two attacks by Death Eaters last Sunday night. The _Daily Prophet_ was even hinting that Fudge might be forced to resign as Minister of Magic soon. With the return of the Dark Lord and the killer attacks by his minions, there was little chance Fudge would be reelected.

'Poor Lucius,' Narcissa thought with a smile. 'All that money wasted on bribes to a man soon to be kicked out of office.'

It was clear that Rufus Scrimgeour, head of the Aurors, would be taking Fudge's place. This was very bad news for Lucius and anyone trying to buy power. Scrimgeour was a fanatic about his job and the Ministry. He was also very rich and had no family, so bribes and intimidation wouldn't work on him. Scrimgeour valued knowledge and the power to control people. He was also a ladies' man. This was very good news for Narcissa. As the new bride of the Boy Who Lived and the ex-wife of a Death Eater, she had much to offer Scrimgeour if he became Minister. Narcissa decided to have one of her paid associates place a Dark Mark over the Ministry of Magic and Fudge's home this weekend. That should guarantee his resignation. Power was all about timing. Narcissa would have to make a move to befriend Scrimgeour soon.

The Ministry's only response to the attacks so far has been to plaster every store window and lamppost in Diagon Alley with ridiculous flyers advising what to do in case of a Death Eater attack. The situation would be almost laughable, if it weren't so tragic. Narcissa knew anyone following the Ministry's advice on the flyers was as good as dead.

The streets of Diagon Alley were nearly deserted. This just made it easier to spot the two wizards following her. It was quite clear they were just spying on Narcissa, not setting her up for an ambush. They were most likely Order members sent by Dumbledore to keep an eye on her. Narcissa paid them little bother, but she kept a hand on her wand just in case.

Her first stop of the day was at Flourish & Blotts bookstore. Inside, a tall, thin girl was rearranging books on the back wall. Behind the counter was someone with purple hair hiding behind a copy of the _Daily Prophet_. Narcissa knew she had found who she was looking for.

"Excuse me," Narcissa said, as she approached the counter where the figure was concealing herself.

"I'm on break, Madam. Claudia is in back; she can help you," the girl said in a coarse, fake voice. Narcissa reached out and snatched the paper away from the girl. She was surprised to see the face of a woman in her seventies staring back at her.

"That is quite repulsive, Nymphadora. Please use your normal face," Narcissa said with disapproval.

"Hello, Aunt Cissy. What brings you out into the sunlight?" Tonks asked as she morphed her face back to normal.

Narcissa reached into her robes and pulled out a small rolled parchment tied with a black ribbon and sealed with black wax. " Please give this to your mother, Nymphadora," she said as she handed Tonks the parchment. "It's an invitation to Black Manor this Saturday evening for dinner. We have family business to discuss."

"Would that be the same family that disowned her for marrying the man she loved?" Tonks sarcastically asked.

"You're a bright young women, Nymphadora. It should be easily apparent how our family's situation has changed in the last few weeks."

"Our family?" Tonks asked with a raised eyebrow. "My family is the Tonks, not the Blacks. The same goes for my mother."

"Your mother has been trying to get her hands on the Black Estate for years. She apparently still considers herself part of the Black family," Narcissa said with a touch of scorn.

"My mother was just trying to keep your filthy, murdering husband's hands off her mother's house. The name Tonks is all that matters to her now," Tonks said with a stern look on her face.

"Remind me again, Nymphadora, just how long was your father married to my sister before she threw him out for good?" Narcissa politely asked with a counterfeit smile.

"Three years," Tonks reluctantly answered. "My father is a great man; he was just not a very good husband."

"If you mean he was a drunken, womanizing slob, I'd have to agree," Narcissa contemptuously told her. Tonks' brow began to wrinkle with anger.

"You're a Black, Nymphadora. It's about time you realized that," Narcissa seriously stated. "You belong to a direct line of witches that date back to the Queen of Avalon, Morgana. She was also a Metamorphmagus. Very ancient magic flows through your blood; it's the true source of your power. Not even marrying that cursed, flea-bitten excuse for a wizard will change that."

"You know, Aunt Cissy, it's times like this I don't understand why we haven't been closer," Tonks mockingly said.

"Please give your mother this invitation, Nymphadora," Narcissa said as she turned to leave. "You may come along, if you wish."

"I wouldn't count on me or my mum showing up," Tonks yelled to her as she left the store. Narcissa just smiled; she knew they would both be there. They were Blacks, after all.

Narcissa's second stop of the day was only a few stores down. She almost tripped over her own robes when she looked at the poster in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' front window.

WHY ARE YOU WORRYING ABOUT 

_YOU-KNOW-WHO?_

_YOU SHOULD BE WORRYING ABOUT_

_U-NO-POO –_

_THE CONSTIPATION SENSATION_

_THAT'S GRIPPING THE NATION!_

She knew the owners of this joke shop must be fearless, insane or very naïve, hopefully all three. Inside the store, a young man with shocking red hair sat on a stool behind the counter, reading a Quidditch magazine. He looked up at her as soon as he heard the door chimes.

"Hello, Madam. Can I be of assistance?" he politely asked as he dropped the magazine and attempted to straighten his shirt.

Narcissa looked at the nametag on his shirt and said, "Hello, George. Might I speak with the owners of this establishment?"

"That would be me and my brother Fred," he told her. "Hey, you're not another bloody reporter wanting to know about the fire, are you?"

"No, I'm here on behalf of my husband, Harry Potter," she answered. The boy's large brown eyes grew even larger at hearing Harry's name.

"Oi, Fred. Come out here," he shouted towards the back room.

A carbon copy of the young redheaded man came out of the back room, the only difference being the black leather apron he was wearing.

"What's up, mate?" Fred asked.

Narcissa extended her hand to Fred and said, "Hello, I'm Narcissa Potter Black. I believe you know my husband, Harry Potter."

Fred didn't take her hand. He just crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a frosty stare.

"Call yourself what you want, but you're still a filthy Malfoy to us," George said with contempt as he stood next to his twin.

Narcissa considered her options carefully as she lowered her hand. Their obvious hatred of her ex-husband and son could be an obstacle, or an asset. It all depended on how she played it.

"I can assure you both that I find the name Malfoy as repellent as either of you. No one has suffered more than I at the hands of the Malfoys," she firmly stated.

Fred just snorted at her and said with a smirk, "Is that so? Did the Malfoys burn down your home with your mother still in it? Did the Malfoys plant a cursed diary on your little sister that nearly got her killed? Just what horrible thing did the Malfoys do to a stuck-up cow like you?"

"Lucius murdered my mother and father," she flatly told them. The smirk left both their faces. "He also stole my family's fortune. He tore my true children out of my body with his wand before they even had a chance to be born. On numerous occasions, he has tried to have my sisters killed. Recently, he tried to murder me, as well. He has done far worse that I can't ever speak of. Now they plot to kill Harry and my daughter, before she has a chance at life."

They both just stared at her, apparently unable to think of something to say. Seeing her opportunity, Narcissa quickly asked, "Have either of you ever heard the phrase: 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'?"

"Anyone that could spawn a sick creature like Draco Malfoy could never be a friend of ours," George told her.

"As I told your younger brother weeks ago, Draco is the product of Direct Heirs. You two being his third cousins are more closely related to him than I," she informed them.

"We're second and third cousins to half the people in Hogwarts. It doesn't mean anything. You raised that rabid little ferret to be the little Death Eater snot he is," Fred accused.

"I tried to raise Draco to be a respectable wizard. Unfortunately, his father's influence was far too strong. I'm afraid he was doomed to be what he has become, from birth," Narcissa said with regret.

"What about your sister, Bellatrix Lestrange? She also became a Death Eater," George asked.

"My oldest sister married a Muggle-born. You're both familiar with her daughter Nymphadora."

"Who?" Fred asked.

"She means Tonks," George told him.

"I hope you don't hold my niece's connection to her aunt Bella against her, as well?" Narcissa asked.

"Tonks has proven herself to us many times. You've only proven that you're more like that hag Lestrange than Tonks' mum," Fred sharply told her.

"My sister and I were both betrothed to Death Eaters when we were younger than yourselves. We had little choice but to support our new husbands. Many a young bride has disappeared for less. Very powerful Dark wizards influenced Bella when she was still just a near child. I doubt any person could have resisted being corrupted by their constant manipulation," she explained.

"And we're supposed to believe that you, the youngest sister, was not corrupted, as well?" George skeptically asked.

Narcissa carefully considered her answer. The twin redheaded wizards weren't as easy to manipulate as other young wizards. They both had good heads on their shoulders. That could be both a good and bad thing.

"Lucius despised the idea of a female Death Eater. That is why he and my sister loathed each other. He made sure that I had nothing to do with the Dark Lord. He believes that a wife is only an ornament for social occasions. The one time he did try to include me in one of the Dark Lord's plans, I almost succeeded in getting him killed," she told them. They both continued to give her suspicious looks. "I'm not asking for you to blindly trust me. I would just appreciate a chance to prove myself to the two of you and your family. Harry Potter considers all the Weasleys as family. He told me, personally, that he would like for both of you to be named godfathers to his daughter. She will be born early next summer. I was hoping we could come to some kind of understanding before then."

Mentioning that Harry was considering them as godfathers to his firstborn softened their expressions towards her. It wasn't true, of course. She and Harry had never discussed it. Narcissa didn't think it would be hard to convince Potter to pick the twins, if they became as useful as she hoped.

"Just what is it you really want from us?" Fred distrustfully asked.

It wasn't much of an opening, but it would have to do.

Narcissa smiled at the twins and said, "I don't wish anything from you. I just don't want my husband to lose you as friends because of me."

"Harry will always be our friend, even in spite of you," George told her.

"Of course he will, but don't you think it would be best if we were on more friendly terms?" she asked.

"More friendly terms, just what's that supposed to mean?" Fred asked.

Narcissa could tell they were both waiting to hear what the catch would be. She doubted these two would take any offer of friendship from her seriously. She glanced around the small store. The joke shop said a lot about its owners. These two didn't respect anything that was considered the norm. They planned to dedicate most of their life rebelling against it, mischief being their primary weapon.

"You both want to know what I really want, right?"

"Yeah," they both answered.

"All I want to know is what you two really want, and if I can help you achieve it," she said with as much genuine concern as she could put in her voice, without sounding fake. "It's the least I can do for the two future godfathers of my child."

Fred turned to his brother and whispered something in his ear. By the smile that appeared on the other boy's face, Narcissa knew they had found something she could help them with.

"What do you know about the wards protecting Malfoy Manor?" George asked.

Now it was Narcissa's turn to smile. It looked like she would be killing two birds with one stone.

"Everything," she answered. "A lot more than Lucius thinks I do. I made sure there was a way for me to return, if I felt it was necessary."

"What about the wards protecting the Manor from fire? Do you know those spells, as well," Fred asked.

"Of course. I was the one who chose the spells when we first moved there. Lucius thought it was tedious woman's work." The smiles on the twins' faces grew more evil looking. A sudden chill ran down her spine. Narcissa reanalyzed, then, that these two were not to be underestimated. Their young, angelic faces hid something best not thought about.

"What do you two have in mind?" she nervously asked.

"The Malfoys were kind enough to pay our family's home a visit not long ago. It would be considered very rude if we didn't return the favor," George told her, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Our brother Charlie would also like us to drop off an early Christmas present for him while we're there," Fred added.

"Gentlemen, I do believe I can be of service to you," Narcissa said as she extended her hand. This time, George guardedly reached out and shook it. Fred did likewise.

Before meeting the Weasleys, Narcissa had only intended on helping the twins finance their store. She had planned to offer them five thousand Galleons if they would make Harry a full partner. It became quickly apparent that they would never accept any money from her, not until some kind of trust was formed. Helping on a sneak attack on Malfoy Manor could gain her the trust she needed. Partners in crime can form a bond between people as strong as any.

While shaking the twins' hands, she wondered if they'd ever heard the expression: "Once you make a deal with the devil, you can never go back." But after seeing the evil glint in their eyes, Narcissa wondered if they were shaking the devil's hand, or was she?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Thursday morning before class, Hermione sat on a toilet in the first floor girls' bathroom staring at a plastic stick she had just peed on. She let out a sigh as the stick confirmed what the magic fertility spells had already told her: she wasn't pregnant yet. She had been having sex for a whole week, twice a day on the weekend, but Tall Dark and Gruesome had yet to plant his seed in her. She didn't mind the sex. It was becoming extremely pleasurable, something Hermione could get easily addicted to. But she knew it would be best to get their relationship back to a platonic level. He was her professor and she was his student, after all. That's the way it should be.

It was already becoming harder to think about the man without picturing his pale, muscular-toned body above hers, making her scream and writhe with pleasure. All of his old habits that she used to find repulsive, like the way he billowed his robes as he walked or the way he cocked his eyebrow with disapproval at the students, Hermione now found arousing for some bizarre reason. She had to ask herself, was she becoming some kind of sex fiend or, worse, was she starting to have romantic feelings toward her new husband?

"It's only hormones," she told herself, shaking her head. "I'm just a teenager, after all. Nothing more."

The sound of the bathroom door opening startled her. She quickly threw the plastic stick into the toilet and flushed it.

"Hermione, you in here?" a familiar voice asked.

"Susan?" Hermione asked as she peeked out of the stall.

"Great, you're here," Susan Bones answered. She entered the bathroom with two other witches. Both her companions were wearing Slytherin colors. One was tall and thin with very long raven-black hair. The other was short and thin with large black-framed glasses and very short brown hair.

"Hermione, this is my cousin, Daphne Greengrass," Susan said, introducing the tall girl. Greengrass had piercing blue eyes. Hermione had the uncomfortable feeling that Daphne could see right into her mind and tell what she was thinking.

"This is my associate, Irma Mortbugger," Daphne said as she gestured to the small girl with huge glasses. "But most people just call her Mouse."

Hermione just starred at Irma. The girl looked like she was half house-elf. Her thick lenses made her brown eyes appear too large for her head. She was only the size of a first-year, but all the books in her book bag were for a fourth-year student. Peppermint Patty's small sidekick from the Peanuts comics came to mind. Hermione could almost hear Irma referring to her tall companion as "Sir."

"My cousin tells me your little club needs our help," Daphne abruptly said.

Hermione quickly shot Susan a disappointed look.

"I didn't tell her anything about the DA. Club," Susan said defensively. "She already knew all about it, including everything we said in our last meeting."

Hermione knew this must be true; otherwise, Susan should be petrified by now.

"Not everything," Daphne interrupted. "I didn't get to see what went on inside the Pensieve."

"Just how were you able to see anything at all?" Hermione demanded, placing her hands on her hips.

"Mouse and I have made it our mission to know everything that goes on in Hogwarts. There's not much that happens in this castle that we don't know about," Daphne assured her.

"You're the ones that have been buying all the spy gear from the Weasley twins?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," Daphne answered. "I'm disappointed to hear that W.W.W doesn't keep their customers' purchases confidential like they advertised."

"You've been spying on us?" Susan asked her cousin, with a surprised look on her face.

"Of course," she answered. "Knowing what's really going on in this school is a matter of survival now. You never know when a friend will suddenly turn out to be an enemy. Just ask Parkinson."

"You know about what really happened to Parkinson?" Hermione asked.

"We pieced together most of the details. It wasn't hard with Malfoy's constant bragging," Daphne told her. "The rest we got from listening to you in the hospital wing. Telling off Professor Snape like that, I was sure he would hex you right there in front of Dumbledore."

"You do seem well informed about what's going on. Can you tell me something I don't know, yet?" Hermione skeptically asked.

Daphne looked at her companion, then said, "I doubt you know that Millicent Bulstrode went with Draco, Crabbe and Goyle the night they burnt down the Weasley place."

Hermione had to admit she didn't know that. But it didn't really surprise her. Millicent was just as vile as Crabbe or Goyle, if not more. "Does Draco have any other cronies, besides those three?" she asked.

"Nott, Montague and Warrington would probably back Draco in most things, they all think along the same lines. But they're all too smart to just blindly follow his lead. Draco only wants people he can order around," Daphne told her.

"And what about you, Daphne? Do you think along the same lines as Malfoy?" Hermione asked.

"Do I look that stupid, Granger?" Daphne asked as her nostrils flared. It was obvious that Greengrass didn't like being compared to her housemate in any way, but the question had to be asked. "I believe a person's superiority over others must be proven, not just blindly declared because of some asinine belief that their family's bloodline is purer that someone else's. I believe in superiority of the mind, not what class you belong to. From what I've witnessed, you do too, Granger."

"You sound more like a Ravenclaw, than a Slytherin," Hermione said.

"I KNOW," Daphne nearly shouted. "I've been telling my cousin for years that the damned Sorting Hat made a mistake. From what I've seen, you've gotten a raw deal too. If anyone should have been a Ravenclaw, it's you, Granger."

Before recently talking with the Sorting Hat, Hermione would have agreed. Now she knew better. The Sorting Hat could see people's hidden strengths. The Hat must have seen Greengrass' love of spying, even before Daphne had realized it.

"I'm happy with my House. It hasn't hindered my talents in any way. It has helped me build character," Hermione told her.

"You wouldn't feel the same if you had been Sorted into Slytherin. Half the House are as dumb as trolls, and the others will stab you in the back the first chance you give them. There are only a handful of decent witches in the whole House, that includes Mouse and I," she explained.

"What about wizards? There aren't any good ones in Slytherin?" Hermione asked.

"No, not really. They range from being tolerable, to monsters like Malfoy," Daphne told her. Hermione had to agree with her. Blaise Zabini was the nicest Slytherin boy she had met, and he was still a pig.

"So it won't bother you to spy on your own housemates?" she asked.

Daphne just rolled her eyes and said, "I've been spying on them for years, Granger. I doubt I'll suffer a guilty conscience anytime soon."

"There's a big difference between just snooping, and spying, Greengrass," Hermione said very seriously. "If you're caught spying for people your housemates consider enemies, you could easily end up like Parkinson, or more likely dead."

"They don't scare me, Granger. My family has been fighting Death Eaters for years. Our uncle and grandparents were murdered by them. Some of my housemates' parents were probably involved in those murders. Malfoy is always asking me where my cousin Danielle is. She was murdered as a baby the same night as my uncle Edward and the rest of his family," Daphne heatedly told her.

Hermione looked into Greengrass' piercing blue eyes. She could see real hurt and anger there. Hermione couldn't imagine being in the same House with children of the people who had murdered members of her family. She looked over at Irma and asked, "What's her story? Does she have a beef against Death Eaters too?"

"No, both Mouse's parents are Squibs. If you think being called a Mudblood is bad, you should hear the vile things they call her," Daphne explained.

Hermione then noticed that Mouse hadn't said a word yet. "Does she talk?"

"Only to me," Daphne answered.

"Just you?"

"She's shy," Daphne simply said.

Hermione decided not to push for a more specific explanation. It was obvious that these two were very close. She could understand why. They were alone in their House, surrounded by unfriendly faces every day. If she decided to ask Greengrass to join the D.A Club, she would obviously have to invite Mouse, as well.

"Do you know what our club is about?" Hermione asked. She wasn't worried about being petrified if she talked about the club to an outsider. Unlike the rest, she never took the oath potion herself.

"Last year, you were all about learning to defend yourselves against Dark Wizards. Something that cow Umbridge refused to teach. This year, Potter wants to turn the club into some kind of secret police within the school, trying to stop sick freaks like Malfoy before they hurt anyone."

"We're not trying to be secret police," Hermione told her. "We're just trying to keep Hogwarts safe for everyone, including Muggle-borns."

Daphne gave her a smug look and said, "You're not the first to try it, you know. There have been more than a dozen secret societies here in Hogwarts. All were formed for the school's well being. That's how the Death Eaters got started."

"If you knew anything about our group, you would know we are nothing like that," Hermione angrily stated.

"No group starts out that way, Granger. But eventually, someone gets power hungry. Who is to say that won't happen five years from now when you, Potter and Weasley are long gone from Hogwarts?" Daphne suggested.

"I'm already working on a code of conduct for the club. Before we leave, I'll make sure there are sufficient rules in place that won't allow anyone to abuse the club's power," Hermione assured her. The truth was, she hadn't thought about it until Daphne brought it up.

Despite being a Slytherin, Hermione actually liked Greengrass. They were a lot alike. She was very smart, and had a strong will of her own. She didn't take anything for granted: a true skeptic. If they'd been in the same House, it would have been almost assured that they would have become close friends. But because Daphne was a Slytherin, they couldn't be friends now. If Greengrass and her little friend were to be of any use to the D.A Club, they couldn't be seen palling around with a bunch of new Gryffindor friends. It could get them killed.

"Listen, Daphne. The D.A Club needs members in all four Houses if it's to be effective. Susan has told us you're trustworthy. I would like to offer you and Irma a chance to join us," she responded.

"What's in it for us?" Daphne quickly asked.

"Ouch," Hermione said in surprise. She realized that there was no doubt as to why the Sorting Hat had put Greengrass in Slytherin.

"What is it you want, Greengrass?" Hermione asked with a skeptical look on her face.

"Nothing very extravagant," Daphne said with obvious false modesty. "Just one small condition. There is a Halloween Dance for upperclassmen on the schedule," Daphne informed her.

"So?"

"We'll need dates," Daphne told her.

"You're kidding?" Hermione asked.

"No, we're quite serious," Daphne, told her. "I would prefer someone tall and preferably handsome, at least two inches higher than myself, so I can wear heels. Mouse is only a fourth-year, so she'll need someone in fifth or above to invite her."

"We're trying to save the school from Dark forces and you want me to find you dates for a stupid dance?" Hermione asked with astonishment.

"I don't expect you to understand, Granger. You have already been to the biggest dance in Hogwarts' recent history, on the arm of a school champion. But Mouse and I have been exiled in Slytherin for far too long. We want to have some social fun before we graduate."

"Don't you think it might be a little dangerous for you to be seen going to the dance with someone from another House?" Hermione asked.

"Not really. No one in Slytherin would ever ask us. I'll just tell them we're blackmailing whoever takes us. They'll believe me; it wouldn't be the first time," Daphne assured her. That statement really bothered Hermione. Irma leaned over and quietly whispered something in Daphne's ear. "Mouse says she'd like you to get Corner from Ravenclaw to take her."

"Michael Corner?" she asked with surprise. Hermione could just see Corner's face when she asked him to take the four-and-a-half foot elfish girl to the dance. Asking Harry to take the Dark Mark for Voldemort might be easier.

Daphne apparently saw reluctance in her face. She gave her a serious glare and said, "Listen, Granger. We both know you don't have a snowball's chance in hell of recruiting someone in Slytherin, with the exception of us. Malfoy is in our House; if you really want to know what he's up to on a daily basis, you have no choice but to meet our demand. It's not like we're asking for much. Just one dance: Corner for Mouse and someone tall and handsome for me."

"But Michael Corner?" she asked. "He's the most shallow prat in the whole school."

Mouse leaned over and whispered again in Daphne's ear. "Mouse also wants Corner to treat her like a real date. He has to be nice to her and be by her side for the full night," Daphne said, relaying Mouse's message.

"Irma, there are a lot better people to go to the dance with besides Michael Corner," Hermione said, addressing the small girl directly. "I could probably get you Neville Longbottom. He's really sweet," she suggested. Mouse didn't say anything or try to whisper to her friend. She just stood there with a quiet resolve.

"It has to be Corner, Granger," Daphne said. "And don't try to pawn off Longbottom on me, either. He's a complete klutz. I don't want him stepping on my feet all night."

"I can't promise anything right now, Greengrass," she said, trying to stall. "I'll have to talk to the other club members first."

"You do that, Granger. But neither Mouse or myself will be swallowing any oath potion until our requests are met." Daphne said as she turned toward the door; Mouse followed closely. But before leaving with her pint-sized cohort, she turned back and said, "I would hurry, if I were you. There's no telling when Malfoy will decide to have another bonfire at someone's home."

Hermione just stared at the door as it closed behind Greengrass. Daphne's last statement wasn't very subtle. Lives could be at risk if Draco continued to go unobserved in the safety of Slytherin. No one had had a clue about his plans to attack the Burrow beforehand. Daphne and Mouse were essential to the D.A Club's fight against Draco and his goons. The problem was – Greengrass knew it.

"I told you she was a Slytherin at heart," Susan said as she picked up her book bag.

"I think that might be a real understatement," Hermione told her.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Next chapter coming soon.

A question for my loyal readers: who should be the one to get revenge on the Malfoys? Should it be the Weasleys, Narcissa or Pansy? Or should I split Draco and Lucius' fates? Have each get what's coming in a different way?


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